House of Night: The First Green Vampyre
by DaydreamingLatinPrincess
Summary: This takes place when Zoey is already a High Priestess and another girl is being introduced into the vampyre world by Nyx and is more blessed than Zoey was. As the main character starts her new life, she struggles on how to deal with her human love,Logan.
1. Marked & Reborn

House of Night Aftermath

Disclaimer: I don't own the book series but I do own any new characters introduced into this story and the plot and ideas.

Marked and Reborn

My name is Agatha Wilds. I hate my name. I do not understand the mysteries of the world. I hide in its shadows, trying to conceal myself. My hair helps hide me. It is black, twisting curls surrounding me. My eyes are an emerald green. My face a creamy pale but rosy. I am a nobody. I can sense things and my dreams are vivid. I could bet more than just a few dollars that if I died today, no one would notice.

And that's what happened.

I died today.

But I was reborn.

-3-

"Why do you do that?" a creamy voice asked me.

"Do what? You have to be more specific," I answered back.

"Hide. Seriously. You're really pretty. No homo. You need to embrace your beauty, come on, and emerge from your shadows today!" she exclaimed.

"Allison! Stop talking crazy! I rather enjoy silence than a bunch of boys quarrel over a pretty face!"

"But Agatha!" Allison whined,"Why don't you want boys to fight over you? That's like every girl's dream! That's my dream! And with your pretty face, they'll be begging to get to know you!"

"Yeah, until they find my name is _Agatha. _That's an old lady name. Ug, why couldn't I be named a prettier name! Like yours! Your name is so pretty, Ally," I countered.

"Fine. How about this then, we'll change your name," she said.

"To what?"

Allison pondered a bit, chewing her nails. Her being the head cheerleader made chewing nails a big no-no. But when you're popular, I guess you can do anything. No questions asked.

"How about _Ella, _it means beautiful fairy?"

"You can do better, Ally," I said, my lips pulling to one side.

"_Bella_?" she said, suggesting the name, "It means beautiful."

"Are you serious?"

"No? Ok, how about…Aurora? It means dawn," she said.

"It's a pretty name, I admit, but I'm more of a night person."

"You're a Goth."

"I am not!"

"Fine, you're Emo."

Both of our laughter filled my room.

"Ok, ok. You have two choices. You either pick Aurora or Genevieve. Period."

My head dropped back in a motion of frustration.

"What does Genevieve mean?" I asked.

"Does it matter?"

"Nope. But I still want to hear it," I countered.

"Fine, it means white wave. It's French I think."

"I think I'm leaning more towards Aurora."

"YAY!" Ally exclaimed. Ally popped out of her sleeping bag and ran toward my window curtains. She yanked them apart to let the streaming sunlight in. My eyes began to water and I tucked my head under the blankets of my bed.

"Hey! You're an Aurora now! Start acting like it!" she said in her best Military General voice.

"But, Ally!" I whined, "Can I at least sleep for ten more minutes?"

"No! Because last time I slept over during a school night, and you said ten more minutes, you slept for an hour, and we missed the first half of first period." Ally said.

"I promise I'll actually get up this time!" I whined.

"Yeah, you said that last time. Quit your whining and get your butt off the bed. I'm going to be your personal stylist today!" she said, clapping at her own accomplishment. I groaned in frustration and kick the covers of my bed off of me, getting off my bed.

I stood at the edge of my bed and began to yawn and stretch. Similar to a cat. Ally snorted and stuck one arm out towards me. She rubbed her fingers together and called out to me.

"Here, kitty, kitty, kitty, kitty! Come on!" she said, going into her infant voice she uses with her dog and her baby brother. It was my turn to snort.

"Cats are independent. We choose whether to go to our owners or not. And last time I checked, Ally, you're not my owner." I said. She smirked.

"No, but I am your personal groomer. I'm going to take a shower and get dress. While I'm in there, pick out your most flattering pair of flats and a sundress."

"A _sundress?"_ I exclaimed with worry.

"Aga—Aurora, its spring. You're supposed to wear those kinda clothes."

"But sundresses are too showy!" I exclaimed.

"Not unless its 'fingertip length'," she said, drawing quotation marks with her fingers. On that last note, she flittered toward my bathroom and shut the door. As she took her time in the shower, I took my time in my closet, choosing a green sundress that rode a bit above my kneecap and green flats that matched the color of the sundress.

Pajamas still on, I sat on the edge of my bed. I pondered a bit.

What if, still, nobody noticed me?

What if I was just too ugly to be noticed?

Why am I letting Ally do this to me?

I laughed with that last thought. Ally loves me like a sister. She just wanted me to get a taste of the good life, what it's like to be wanted. She was my best-friend. And I trust her with my life. So a day of change couldn't be that bad.

The sound of turning off the shower echoed to my bedroom.

"Almost done, Ally?" I yelled.

"Yeah! I just got to put on my clothes. You picked out your outfit yet?" she yelled back.

My eyes wandered towards the spot beside me. There laid the sundress with the shoes on top of it.

"Yup," I answered back, shakily.

-3-

Ally emerged from the bathroom five minutes later, a towel wrapped around her head. She wore short-shorts that were a bit higher than 'finger-tip length'. And a black, flow-y vest over an orange tank top. Blue sandals covered the bottom off her feet. Ally turned toward me.

"Ok, Aurora. Get your butt in that bathroom and take a shower. Wash your hair too because I'm going to style it," she said, drying her hair with the towel.

"Good luck with that," I mumbled and fluttered past her, entering the steamy bathroom. Closing the door behind me, I turned toward the shower and turned it to _HOT_.

I stripped out of my clothes and entered the shower, ripping my hair band out of my hair that held it up in a bun for the night. I shampooed and rinsed and repeated with the conditioner, leaving it on as I washed my body. Finally I rinsed the conditioner but was careful to leave some of it on. Turning the water off, I stepped out of the shower and wrapped the towel around my body. As I dried off, I watched my face emerge from the steam left on the mirror. At first all I saw was a blur, and soon, my features were more detailed. It could have been my imagination but something flickered in my eyes. I looked stronger and more confident than I have ever before.

With my body still wrapped in a towel, I opened my door a crack.

"Ally? Can you hand me my clothes? They're on the bed," I said. Ally retrieved my clothes and handed them to me; I thanked her and closed the door.

Letting the towel fall on the floor, I began to place on my clothes. Even with my sundress on and shoes on, I felt naked. I looked so bare, my arms and legs finally released from long sleeved shirts and jeans. Ally knocked on my door and walked in. She squealed at the sight of me.

"You look so pretty!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands.

"Thanks, Ally!" I exclaimed. The thing was, I did feel pretty, for the first time in years. I remember my downfall. Mom and dad got divorced, dad started to drink and both parents started to fall in love with other people, even if it was multiple times. Ally was the only one there for me. She knew why I fell and tripped. And she was the one who always dusted me off and pulled me to my feet.

Ally pulled the toilet lid down and ordered me to sit, but then changed her mind and asked me to stand in front of the mirror so I did. She got out my paddle brush and ripped all the knots out of my hair. Knowing I was a bit tender-headed, she tried to do it as softly as she could. Once all the knots were out she squeezed the top of the moose bottle and held her other hand at the open end. As she squeezed, moose came out, white and poofy as a cloud and sticky.

Rubbing the stuff in between her hands, she finally smoothed it into my hair. As she did so, the stuff began to harden my curls and force them to stay curled and not extremely poofy. Finally she pulled out a green headband from my bathroom drawer and used it to pull my hair back. She clapped at her accomplishment, and told me to face her. As I turned I saw her digging in her purse for her cosmetics.

"Your face is perfect! No blemishes! No blackheads! Zip! Zilch! Nada!" she exclaimed, but of course she already knew that.

"You do need a bit of makeup under your eyes though, you have a faint blue shadow," she said as she dabbed something under my eyes that looked like my skin tone and rubbed it in. She then pulled out some eyeliner and eye shadows. She decided on various shades of green for my eyes and outlined my eyes with the black eyeliner. When I stole glances from the mirror I saw my eyes were outlined in an Egyptian looking way.

"Wow," I gasped at myself. Ally looked to where my eyes were and spotted the mirror. Ally squealed again.

"Don't look yet!" And I snapped my eyes back to her. Once she was done with my eyes and eyebrows she pulled out a rosy blush color and brushed some across my cheeks and then pulled out some bright, sparkly lip gloss. She pulled out the wand and dabbed some on my lips and then ordered me to rub my lips together. I did so.

"Ok, look at yourself."

I spun around to look at myself in the mirror. I gasped.

My eyes were given a smoky look with the various shades of green. The liner defined my eyes in an Egyptian look and my cheeks were given a warm shade and it looked as if I was blushing. And my lips were given a sparkly pink shade. My fingers ran across my cheeks.

"I'm beautiful," I whispered. Ally shook her head.

"You were beautiful to begin with; I just enhanced your natural beauty." She said it like it was nothing but I could see that she was bursting with happiness.

"Thanks, Ally," I whispered, still mesmerized by my transformation.

"Welcome, now scoot out of the bathroom, I have to do my makeup and I have to blow dry my hair." She said, smiling at her accomplishment. I skipped out and waited for her down stairs in my living room. Even my mom who I lived with noticed my beauty, and for once, I felt like I didn't have to hide anymore. I felt like nothing could go wrong. I felt it was all uphill for me now.

But I was wrong.

-3-

"Ok, listen to me. Straighten your back, keep your head high, and puff out your chest a little bit. Perfect! I am, like, so confident that guys were swoon and worship you! And remember, your name is Aurora Wilds. Yeah, you're keeping your last name," Ally said, going on and on and on. I looked her as she began to tick off her fingers with things to do. Her blond bangs kept falling over her brown eyes and she constantly pushed them back. As we stepped out of my car and began walking towards the school, she handed me her purse. I looked at her in confusion.

"Get some lip gloss and reapply," she said. I digged in her purse for the shade of gloss I had on. As I grabbed it, I pulled out the wand and smothered some on my lips and rubbed my lips together. As I handed her back the purse, we entered Tulsa's Broken Arrow High School. The moment we were in, Allison and I were greeted with whistles from the football team who were standing by the doors socializing.

A group of five stomped toward us. They were all muscular and reeked of gym socks, but their faces were decently cute. I tilted my head to whisper at Ally.

"They're cute but would it kill them to take a shower?" I whispered.

Ally gave off a melodic laugh.

"They're boys, they don't know the meaning," Ally replied. That made me give off my own melodic laugh. All five boys were treading closer to us and soon they were surrounding us. One batted his eyes at Ally, which made her laugh. They were flirting.

"Who's your friend, Allison? She new?" the one who batted his eyes at her said.

I was about to say no but Ally nudge my ribcage.

"Yeah, her name is Aurora Wilds," Ally replied back. One of the others scooted closer to me. He bowed and grasped my hand. I giggled as he kissed the back of my hand.

"Hello, Aurora. My name is Matt. Please to meet you, you'll find our school quite different than others." He said, flirting with me.

"Please to meet you, Matt," I said back, a slight blush rising up. Ally grabbed my shoulders and pulled me back.

"Aurora, you'll want to stay away from Matt, he's a playa," Ally said rolling her eyes. Matt put on a look of mock offense.

"Whaaaa?" he drew out, not placing a T at the end of his words. Ally rolled her eyes again.

"Aurora, that's Matt, Jim, Stephen, Andrew, Shannon, and Caleb," Ally said, pointing to each as she named them. The one named Shannon walked to me.

"Will you two be joining us at our lunch table?" he asked. Ally turned toward me and I nodded.

"Sure," Ally said. Stephen walked up to Ally and me.

"Hey did you hear about our new quarterback player?"

Ally shook her head.

"I've been meaning to tell you, but he came like two months ago—"

"Kinda late there, Stephen," Ally interrupted.

"Yeah, whatever Ally, and he's an awesome player, we're sure to win the trophy this year.

"We better win this year!" Ally exclaimed. Ally nudged me again.

"Aurora, maybe he'll join us at lunch," she said and the guys hooted. I blushed.

Andrew nudged at his fellow playmates.

"We'll make sure that happens," he said and the guys hooted one more time before Ally drew me away before saying four hilarious words.

"Football players are idiots."

Our laughter rang through the halls.

-3-

As my classes past, I noticed that more guys were noticing me and a few girls were giving me dirty looks, but I brushed them off. Ally said they were jealous of my beauty and I should just ignore them. And I did. Before I knew it, it was lunch time. Ally met up with me at the cafeteria doors and we fluttered in. Ally craned her head towards me and whispered.

"Everyone is talking about you."

"Really?"

"Really! Oh em gi, they are saying that your exchange student from Spain," she said cheerfully. We both laughed.

"Well, at least they're not messing up my heritage."

"Yeah, but you're from _Puerto Rico_, not _Spain_."

I hugged Allison.

"Ally, you're the best. No one noticed me before and now everyone thinks I'm beautiful and…special." I said, my voice dripping with sweetness and pure happiness. Ally threw her head back and gave a melodic laugh.

"Agie, you were beautiful and special to begin with, I just brought you out of the shadows," she said, using my old name's nickname.

"I'm glad you did," I said.

After a few moments, the line for the cafeteria food sped up and I was soon at the cash register with a Styrofoam tray with Pizza as my main food and an apple with Soda. Earlier today, Ally made sure to get me a new ID with my new name on it. On the left hand corner was a picture of the new me and under the picture was my grade level which was tenth grade and my age which was sixteen. At the center bottom was my personal barcode.

As I fluttered toward the cash register, I pulled out my ID and the lunch lady scanned it with her barcode wand, tool, whatever it was called. The woman touched something on the screen and something beeped.

"Hon, ya own some money," she said. I digged in my purse to find some, only to find cosmetic items Ally gave me and an empty wallet. Damn, I was gonna have to eat a bag lunch. Yuck.

"Um…err…I don't have—"

"Hey! Aurora! Turns out you gave me a bit too much money. Here," a voice interrupted. I gave a sigh of relief and looked down to close my purse. My curls feel down over my eyes as my head tilted down so all I could see was a tan hand handing the lunch lady money. As I closed my purse, I lifted my head and pushed loose curls back and tucked some behind my ears. I was met with gorgeous, honey brown eyes, almond-shaped. His face and body looked muscular and well defined. An olive-ish and tan tone swept and colored his skin, looking almost like a surfer but less tan. Multiple colors of types of sand colored his hair, giving it a perfect sandy colored look, and a perfect gloss from being so silky. A few locks fell over his eyes and I had an urge to push it back.

"Uh…thanks…for the money I mean…" I spoke, feeling so lost and mesmerized by his beauty.

"You're welcome," he said back, smiling.

The lunch lady cleared her throat and threw me a look that said _Move already, I have a gazillion more students to check out for lunch and the sooner this happens, the sooner I can go home._

I skittered past the hot guy and looked for the table where Ally was. She spotted me first and waved like crazy to get my attention. I half walked half ran toward our lunch table. The five football players were already surrounding Ally and flirting with her. As I took my seat by Allison, the guys stopped flirting and turned their attention towards me.

"So, Aurora is it true you're from Madrid, the capital of Spain?"Shannon asked.

I shook my head.

"No, Puerto Rico."

"Which city?" Matt asked.

"San Juan."

"Really?" they asked in amazement.

I nodded and suddenly a cough rose up and I covered my mouth, coughing into it.

Ally patted my back.

"You okay?"

I nodded.

"Yeah. Weird, I didn't feel sick this morning."

"Probably allergies," Ally said. I nodded, but was unsure. I didn't have any allergies and Ally knew that too. I looked at her eyes again, which were laced with a bit of concern and worry now. I coughed into my palms again. Shit, I was probably coming down with something. Suddenly Andrew stood up and knocked fists with another boy, another member of the football team I assumed. I look down and nibbled on my slice of pizza. I urged my coughing fit to disappear.

"You're the new girl, right?" the new voice asked me. I looked up, only to meet the gorgeous, almond-shaped, honey, brown eyes I meet at the cash register.

I mumbled a yes.

"Cool, I moved here over two months ago," he said, taking a seat beside me at our large round table.

"Wow, uh… I moved here today…"I said.

"Yeah I heard," he said, a flirty cocky smile running across him face. I blushed and Ally laughed beside me.

"What's your name?" Ally asked.

"Logan." He answered Allison but his sight was set on me. I could feel my blushing getting worse. Ally nudged me.

"Hey, Aura, any worse and your makeup gonna melt off," Ally said, a hit of laughter mixed with her words. The guys hooted (except for Logan) and my cheeks felt hotter than ever before.

All of a sudden, I felt a stabbing pain in my chest and I coughed a huge cough. I clutched at my neck. Ally's eyebrows burrowed together.

"Geez, Aurora, any worse and we'll take you to the nurse." I shook my head. The nurse was a mean lady. Ally placed her hand on my cheek.

"You're really warm Aura," she said, her eyes heavily laced with concern. Even some of the guys were concern about me, but with their small-attention span, it didn't last long. Stephen told the guys to look at a male Goth who was sulking over by the vending machines. I turned to look where they were looking. In that instance I knew that the Goth wasn't sulking, he was only pretending. He took nervous glances everywhere, his sight finally setting on our table.

"Is…is…is he looking at us?" Ally asked. No one listened; we were far too concentrated at the dark energy that he radiated. I tried to examine better at my distance, and when I did, I scared gasp escaped my lips.

In the middle of his forehead was a crescent moon, it was a beautiful sapphire color and surrounding his face were beautiful knots that curved over his cheeks and looped under leading down his neck. He was startling handsome. He gracefully walked toward our table. Everyone shivered at my table.

"It's a Tracker…" I whispered to everyone. Ally began to cry. One of the eight of us was going to get Marked, and nobody wanted that.

"One of us is going to get Marked!" Ally exclaimed through her sobs. I coughed again, and it sounded bad. As the Tracker neared, my breath was becoming raspy and came out in short little pants. I could feel my heart beating through my shirt. All the guys were puffing out their chest, thinking in their minds that if they were going to be the one that was getting Marked, they weren't going to go down without a fight.

Ally grasped my hand and looked me in the eyes.

"Promise me if either one of us gets Marked, we'll still be best friends forever." There was no laughter or happiness in her voice. She wanted her promise and she was being dead serious.

"You're being overly dramatic," I said, serious as her. She squeezed my hand. HARD.

"Damn it! Just say yes!" she exclaimed, more tears falling. I squeezed her hand back.

"I promise," I said. She relaxed but was still shaking. I could feel the vampyre draw closer. I looked at the guys who were doing their own promises-slash-BFF-slash-secret handshakes.

"Bros 'til death of the undead," they echoed. Another hand wrapped around my free hand and tightened around my wrist. I twisted around to see that it was Logan's hand. He gave me a tight smile and mouthed the words: _scared shitless. _

I returned a smile and move my hand around his until our fingers were intertwined.

As the vampyre closed the space between him and our table, I coughed a last time and wondered why I felt this deep connection with Logan; I've only known him for maybe ten minutes. And yet…there was something already tying us together…like a ribbon tying two hearts together and drawing them close. It felt like…like…well, it felt like love.

The vampyre marked his final step and stood in front of me and Allison. He took a look at the both of us and swiftly took a step towards me. Ally yelped and gripped my hand harder, then I took a look at her, I saw sympathy and relief. She mouthed a few words to me: _It's going to be okay, I got your back. _

Both of my hands were going numb and the words I have been dreading were spoken to me like honey by the Tracker.

"Agatha Wilds! Night has chosen thee; thy death will be thy birth. Night calls to thee; hearken to Her sweet voice. Your destiny awaits you at the House of Night!"

The Tracker lifted a pale, bony finger and touched my forehead. As my forehead erupted with pain, the whole cafeteria, which I had not noticed was watching the entire scene from the beginning, erupted in screams.

A/N: HELLO STARSHINES! Ok, my inspiration for this was my fav series of vampire books, and a little dream I had. Please review guys because my puppy Bella will hunt you down. She's a biter and I'm teaching her how to sit. She a stubborn puppy. Review or I'll order her to tear you up. And if you review, you'll get a little shoutout in the next chappie! :) I lurve you guys!


	2. Reborn as a Vampyre Fledgling

House of Night Aftermath

Disclaimer: I don't own the book series but I do own any new characters introduced into this story and the plot and ideas.

Shoutout to my reviewers: lilsam375(thanks for your review, although i am sad to say there wasn't much detail in this chappie but I'll leave you to be the judge of that) PercyJackson..Forever97  
(Glad you love my story and the name Logan) and my BFF, 690(Thanks for telling the world that Logan was base off my crush *I'm being sarcastic* and I'll be sure to try and focus on this one more than my others but ya know the rules, gotta keep your fans happy)

**Reborn as a Vampyre Fledgling**

"She got Marked!"

"She's dangerous!"

"She's a freak!"

Multiple voices in the cafeteria rang out. They were all talking about me, and how I was now labeled a freak and dangerous.

"Holy shit! They got the new girl!" Shannon yelled as he stood up from his seat.

I looked around me, and all I saw was the floor on both sides. I realized quickly that I must have fainted when the Tracker touched my forehead. A pain came swiftly that felt like a stabbing in my chest. I rough cough came out of my mouth.

"Ally…It hurts!" I whined as a throbbing pain increased in my head. I placed my hand on my forehead but Ally took it as she quickly knelt beside me.

"I know it hurts! It's okay, it's okay, uh…we need to get you to the House of Night quickly," she said hysterically. Her words came out in a rush. Ally tried to pull me up but I felt my life energy slip away and I couldn't really do any standing.

"Ally, I can't stand," I weakly whispered. Ally grabbed my arms and tried to yank me up, but being a few pounds heavier than her petite figure she was only able to get me a few inches off the ground. She gently dropped me and turned to the boys who were watching us.

"WILL ONE OF YOU IDIOTS HELP ME?" Ally yelled at them. Logan was the first to react. He shot up from his seat and ran to my other side. He slipped two arms under me and scooped me up, bridal style. Ally grabbed both of our purses and ordered Logan to follow her. As Logan followed her, and we sped past other students, many students threw disgusted looks at me and backed away from our path.

"Logan! Hurry up! Come on, we have to get to her car!" Ally yelled at Logan, as she helped open the school doors. I curled closer to Logan as I hacked a nasty, phlegmy cough. As we got to my car, Ally searched my purse for my car keys. When she found them she clicked the button to open the car door and Logan laid me in the backseat. Once I was carefully set down, Logan closed the door and swiftly took a seat in the passenger seat as Ally started the car. The car lurched forward and we were soon going to arrive at the House of Night. As the humming of the car continued I felt more and more faint as my headache got worse and worse. In no time, I drifted off, hoping to be released from my pain.

* * *

I felt light, light as air. I could feel a tingly and warm sensation soak into me and I opened my eyes to see what it was. I was met with a bright light, but it wasn't as bright. It was like a candle glow. And it felt as if I was moving up, up towards it!

_Shit, I'm going to heaven. _

I glanced down, shocked to see my body. I saw the interior of my car, a cream color, and my body lying helplessly on the seats. I was breathing in short little pants and my skin looked so pale, the makeup made a huge contrast to my skin. I drew my eyes slowly to my forehead, amazed to see the little glow of my sapphire crescent. There was the outline and it made me…or my body…seem so wild. I looked like something that was beyond control, only obeying to my own rules and demands.

_Aurora Wilds... vengan a mí hija._

I turned around to see who spoke to me. The voice was like a beautiful ringing of bells. As I turned, I saw a narrow crevice in the ground. I floated closer to it and listened. As I peered down, I saw a silver outline of words drifting up from the ground. I strained to hear, and a silver sound floated to my ears.

_Aurora…come to me daughter…_

It was the same voice I heard earlier and it seemed to come from the crevice in the ground. I wondered if I could go through it,

"Who's there?" I asked into the ground toward the crevice.

_Come to me daughter…follow me to your destiny… _

Suddenly I was sucked into the crevice and following a stream that lead to a cavern. The cavern suddenly broke off into a smaller section and my spirit just floated toward the wall. The rock wall had symbols traced and carved into it.

A jolt of electricity erupted from the wall and a gorgeous woman walked through it. Dressed in a beautiful, pure white, fringed dress, the gorgeous woman opened her arms in an embrace.

_Hello, my daughter, _she said softly to me_. _I backed away a bit.

"You're not my mother," I told the woman. She gave a sparkling laugh that seemed to bounce off the walls.

_No, but you are mine, _the voice crooned. My head tilted toward the side.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

_Daughter, you are now a member of the night, as you are now my daughter, you are the very incarnation of me. _

I shook my head and my curls bounced.

"I'm the incarnation of _you?_ That's not possible. I'm…I'm…I'm a nobody! You're something so beautiful and spirit-like! You're…you're a goddess!" I argued.

_Do you not see the resemblance? _The woman asked. I took a look at her. She had beautiful long hair that was so black it looked like it had purple and blue highlights. Ally described my hair that way once or twice, about the highlights. While the woman's hair was straight, mine was unusually curly. The woman's eyes were also the same shade as mine, emerald green.

"Who are you?" I asked.

I have many names, but you may call me by the name which your world knows me today, Nyx.

"The…the vampyre goddess?"

_Yes, daughter. It was the ancient Greeks who first worshipped me and were touched by the Change. I have Marked you as my own and you will, in this new age, be my true Daughter of Night. You are special. Accept that about yourself, and you will begin to understand there is true power in your uniqueness. _

Nyx walked up to me and wiped away the tears that I didn't realize I made fall down. She then took my face in her hands.

_Darling daughter, my Daughter of Night, I name you my eyes and ears in the world today. My last Daughter of Night excelled perfectly, and I wish you to do the same. And I wish you to remember one thing, darkness does not always equate to evil, just as light does not always bring good. _

"Why me?" I cried. Nyx face softened.

_Because I have Marked you as my own and by being Marked, you will find your true destiny._

"My true destiny? And what is that? What is my true destiny?" I asked her, trying to wipe away my tears quickly. The goddess Nyx smiled.

_That my daughter is for you to find out._

With that last note she kissed my forehead and took a few steps back, she opened her arms again and her dress flapped as a wind blew in the cave. A gold ribbon emerged from her chest, the spot where her heart was. As the ribbon emerged, it found it way towards me and wrapped itself around my wrist. The ribbon then melted itself into my wrist. As it did so, a chain bracelet faded into view on my wrist right where the ribbon melted itself into me. A questioning looked ran across my face.

_Daughter of Night, this bracelet will protect you and as you progress, noticeable charms will grow on your bracelet. Good-bye for now, my daughter. _

"Goodbye, Nyx."

As I spoke my last words, Nyx waved her hands above her head and disappeared in a sparkling light. The moment she vanished was the moment I awoke.

* * *

"Agie! Please don't die on me! I promise never to steal your M&M's again!" a voice cried. A few sniffles and choking sounds followed the voice. Another voice laughed and the first voice snapped at the other.

"Hey! Chill out, will ya? She's not dead, that woman healed her, didn't she?" the second voice replied.

"Yeah, but she was this close to dying wasn't she?" the voice screamed back.

"Jeez, Allison. Calm down," the voice said.

"CALM DOWN? My _best-friend _almost _died, _and you're telling me to _calm down?" _the voice angrily said.

Where the heck am I?

A yawn overcame me and I stretched my arms before me. A smooth texture rubbed over my hand and gathered in my palms. They were sheet-like fabric. I opened my eyes and was met by two other pairs of eyes, one that were red and swollen and the other that looked heavily concern. A waterfall of blonde took my attention.

"Ally?" I asked.

"Agie? You're awake! Agie! I thought you died!" Ally exclaimed, broken sobs filling in her words. I pulled myself into a sitting position and hugged Ally. Ally locked me into her tight embrace and sobbed all over me. I quietly patted her back and looked around.

I found myself buried in a bed with sheets so soft and white that the color made my eyes sting a bit. I seemed to be in a little room that looked like it was mimicking a little hospital space. I gently pushed Ally away.

"Ally? Where am I?" I asked her.

"You're at the House of Night, _Agie,_" Logan said cockily, a half smile forming perfectly on his lips as he said my nickname for my hideous name. Ally smacked his shoulder roughly.

"You're not allowed to call her Agie!" Ally exclaimed angrily. I shook my head at Ally and shrugged.

"It's ok, Ally. What the point of calling me _Aurora _if it's not my really my name?" I asked her.

"But it can become your true name if you wish it to be," a new voice added. I scanned the little room to see who spoke and realized a woman in the back spoke. I gawked at her.

The woman was beyond beautiful.

She had olive skin and sapphire tattoos _all over_ her. Her hair was black as a moonless night and fell in waves over her shoulders and ended at her hips. The woman was sporting a black dress in major heels. From her features, she looked a bit Cherokee. The beautiful tattoos on the woman mimicked the soft and gorgeous look of lace and it swirled and bended around her entire frame. In general, she looked like something from a legend, something mystic and hidden, and in a way, forbidden.

"Excuse me?" I asked, sounding stupid, I was too transfixed on her beauty that I didn't quite catch on what she said.

"You can change your name. That's one of the good things as starting a life as a fledgling, you can change your name to whatever you want," she said.

I sat there, looking dumbfounded.

"So my name doesn't have to be_ Agatha _anymore?" The woman nodded her head.

"And my name can now be changed to anything I want?" She nodded, a little smile playing on her face.

"Can I change my name to Aurora Wilds?" Her smile widened.

"If you wish it to be," she said. I felt my own lips widen in a smile. I turned to Ally, who was too, smiling with me. Ally turned to the woman.

"It's settled then," Ally said. I nodded along with her. The woman walked closer to the three of us.

"I am High Priestess Zoey Redbird. Aurora Wilds, I will try my best to make sure you feel welcome into this new world and if you accept, I would like to be your mentor. I can sense that you have been highly blessed by our Goddess.

"Her mentor?" Logan asked. Zoey turned her attention to Logan.

"Her vampyre guardian is the best explanation. Every fledgling is given a mentor, and I wish to be Aurora's mentor."

"I accept, what do you mean highly blessed by the Goddess Nyx?" I asked.

"I am pleased that you accept. You know the goddess by name?" Zoey questioned.

"I sorta met her, in a spirit world of some kind. She spoke to me." I answered. Zoey's perfect brows burrowed together.

"Oh, it seems you have been more blessed than I thought, as you have met her," Zoey said. I shrugged.

"I don't remember much. It seemed too much like a dream, a foggy dream with mist around the corners," I dragged. My attention kind of snapped as I remembered it. I took a look at my wrist.

There laid the chain of the bracelet. The bracelet seemed to shine and the chains glittered gold as I twisted my wrist to better examine it.

"Would you like a tour of the House of Night?" Zoey asked. My attention snapped back to reality.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"A tour? Of the House of Night?" she offered again. I nodded. I turned toward Ally and Logan. Ally gave me a quick hug and drew quotation marks.

"'Humans' aren't allowed on school grounds," she said with a sprinkle of humor. She flipped her hair back and gave me another quick hug. Logan stood next to me on the bed I sat up on. He tried to give me a hug and it ended up awkward, but I liked the heat he radiated as he grasped my body of a quick hug. His lips were at my ear in the next second.

"Don't do anything you might regret," he said jokingly as he gave me a cocky smile. I returned the smile.

"I'll try not to."

"Oh and…um…err…I added my number to your contact list so, you know, if ya need me…I'm just a few numbers away," he blushed a bit as he spoke.

"Ok," I said. I had an urge to say more, but I couldn't really find what to say.

Ally and Logan left a few breaths later and I got off the little cot.

"Ready?" Zoey asked. I just nodded.

"And this is the girl's dorms. I'll leave you here to get acquainted with the other fledglings," Zoey said to me, leading me toward a large door that led to the dorms that were across campus. I gulped. In a few seconds, I was going to take on this whole part of the castle they called the House of Night. Zoey left without another word. My hand brushed against the cool metal and I yanked the door open. As I stepped in, there were two things I noticed. First, one half of the rather large room was a kitchen, and second, the other half was a rather large living room, covered with couches and fledglings on top of them. A few looked me over but the other half ignored me completely. I have never felt so out of place.

One fledging walked over to me, flanked by two others. The first had a look of a model with a sneer plastered across her face. Her hair was a deep russet brown with pink highlights and it twirled elegantly around her shoulders. A pale cream color swept and colored her skin, giving it a glowing look. A deep color of blue swirled in her eyes, seeming almost evil.

The other fledging that flanked her on her right was petite and slim. She had a head full of blonde, straight hair that stopped just below her ribs. Her eyes, too, were blue, but had more a softer look, yet, evil as the first girl. A creamy color brushed and painted her skin.

The last fledging who flanked the main girl was curvy and tall. Her hair and eyes were a color of dark chocolate, and her eyes also wore the same look of evil. Her hair, being flat ironed recently as it seemed, pressed against her cheeks and tumbled a few inches down her shoulders. A milk chocolate color painted itself into her skin.

"Name's Gwendolyn. It's one of the few names of a moon goddess," the pink-highlighted girl said. She swept her hair back with a flick of her hand.

"Rhiannon. My name is deprived of a phrase which means 'great queen'," the dark girl said, a smirk playing on her face.

"Diana. Like the goddess of the hunt," the little blonde said. She threw me an evil smile as if to bare her teeth at me. What was ironic was that the little blonde probably hunted for her share of blood.

I brushed back a loose curl that strayed in front of my eyes.

"Aurora Wilds. It means dawn," I said shyly.

"Dawn? You're now a person of the night and you chose a name that means dawn?" Gwendolyn asked, sarcasm filling her words and a sneer lying on her lips as she spoke. I began to bubble up inside.

"Well excuse me, _Gwendolyn_, but Aurora is the goddess of dawn in Roman mythology and was well equated with the Greek god Eros who happens to be the brother of Nyx!" I exclaimed. A surge of energy washed through me, giving me this magnified voice and strength. And the funny thing was that, what I said, I didn't know anything, and it just spilled out like how water slips over rocks that are soon to be worn smooth. Gwendolyn was taking aback by the strength of my speech and narrowed her eyes at me.

"Wow, a fledging with a purpose and a sassy behavior. Just what the doctor ordered," Rhiannon said, an eyebrow teasing it way up.

"Excuse me, but I need to find my dorm. So if you three could move it, I'd be much obliged," I said, trying to weave myself out of their way. Gwendolyn, not so ready for me to go, stepped in my pathway.

"You need to move it. I'm trying to find my dorm. Get out of my way," I said behind gritted teeth. This brunette was getting on my nerves. Diana nudged Rhiannon.

"Here she goes," she mumbled.

"I'm sorry, Aurora, but here, you stay out of _my_ way," Gwendolyn said, eyes narrowed and locked on me. Her nose twitched in insolence. I held my hands up in defense.

"Whatever. It seems like I'll want to stay out of your way. I don't want to bear with your stuck-up mood," I said, the corner of my mouth pulling into half of smile with my eyebrows raised high. Rhiannon softly flicker her hand at her face.

"Burned…" she mumbled. Gwendolyn snapped her head around to glare at her follower.

As I tried to step past her a second time, she face me again and pushed me back.

"Listen, here, at the House of Night, I'm top cat. You think you're so special 'cuz you can sass back with words and attitude. Listen, no one can replace me and I'll always be at the top," she said angrily. I raised an eyebrow.

"Well, then it's time for someone to put you in your place." I moved her aside and waltzed away.

* * *

I knocked on the smooth mahogany door. Zoey gave me a dorm number and I found the room I was supposed to be staying at in more than a few minutes.

Two voices rang from the inside.

"Come in!" I took a deep breath and turned the doorknob. The first thing I noticed was the bright colors. Then I noticed how the room was unusually large for a room and I saw two other fledglings sitting atop on their beds. When they saw me they jump up and ran to give me a hug. As they stepped back, I took in their features.

The first was curvy and tall and unusually pale and creamy skinned. Her eyes were bright blue and shined. Various shades of brown colored her hair and was cut short and it hanged just a few millimeters above her shoulders.

The second was curvy and petite. A light color of chocolate painted itself into her skin and her eyes were like pools of chocolate. Her hair was a beautiful rich shade of chocolate too and fell a few inches below her shoulders. A simple headband pushed her flat-ironed hair away from her face.

The first girl cried and suddenly bounced with happiness. I have never felt so awkward.

"Excuse Sarah here, she's a bit…um…well, she's wacky."

"I'm not! I'm bipolar!" the pale-skinned girl yelled.

"No, you're Sarah. Your name is not not and it's not bipolar," the chocolate girl said.

"You're ridiculous, Erica," the first girl said. They both laughed. I gave a nervous giggle.

"Oh! Hi! Sorry! I'm Sarah and this is Erica. I'm Italian and all three of us are going to be roommates," Sarah said, clapping her hands and bouncing with happiness. I smiled at the two of them. There was already this sense of friendship in the air.

"Words of advice: stay away from Sarah's Harry Potter novels and her Twilight novels. If you even touch them, she will freak out," Erica said with a laughing tone. Sarah rolled her blue eyes.

"I will not," she countered.

"Last time I picked one up you cried and freak out," Erica said.

"YOU HAD PIZZA GREASE ON YOUR FINGERTIPS!" Sarah exclaimed.

"So?" Erica asked.

"You could have damaged the book!"

Erica turned toward me.

"Yes, a fingerprint can damage a book."

With that last note we all laughed.

Deep inside me something was twisting in my guts. In the back of my mind I heard a ringing and a whisper in the wind.

_Earth and air…_

_Water and fire…_

_Life as Spirit…_

_Joined as one…_

_And nothing is too dire…_

I strained to hear the voice again.

But all I heard was a feral growl in the back of my mind.

A/N: hey guys! I did the second chappie! Aren't you guys proud? I wish you all a Merry Xmas, even if it has been over for more than 3 hours. Please review for my xmas present and if ya review, I'll give you a little shoutout like the three at the top of my story. And remember, if ya dont review, Bella my evil dog will get u, and lately I've been feeling depressed and i need support and thank you Sarah for being there when i was most lost, confused, and heartbroken. You're the best friend ever!


	3. A Fledgling's Exciting Lunch

House of Night Aftermath

Disclaimer: I don't own the book series but I do own any new characters introduced into this story and the plot and ideas.

Shoutout: Thank you 690 for review and being an awesome BFF. I lurve you! And another shoutout to LeyahRayne, thanks for loving my stories! Means a lot to me.

**A Fledgling's Exciting Lunch**

As I straightened up my bed in my dorm, Erica began practicing on her viola and Sarah lay upon her bed reading a novel. A few giggles and tear escaped her face as she read.

A few boxes appeared at the door as time flew and I always opened them to reveal my stuff being sent to me from my mom. All of my clothes were packed tight and a few photographs of her and me and my dad. She even stuffed my favorite stuff animal which was a fuzzy panda I called 'Sniffles' because the day I got him, we went to the fair and I popped a few balloons were a dart and before I threw them, I took a few sniffles because I was a tad sick.

There was also a pretty tiny box which contained make-up…from Ally.

I smoothed out the crinkles of the bedspread on my bed and began to set up the pictures at my desk and a large mirror that hanged above it. On a wall, there was a window that showed a sun setting behind the trees.

"What day is it?" I asked.

"May the first, two-thousand ten," Erica yawned, finishing her piece and laying her bow and instrument in its case.

"And the time is…six forty one," Sarah added, flipping a page in her book.

"About an hour and twenty minutes before school starts," Erica finished. I shook my head.

"What? Are you saying school starts at _eight_? _PM_?" I questioned, bewildered.

"Think about it, it's only rational. For a creature of the night that is sensitive of daylight, that's how the schedule works," Sarah said, closing her book.

"Didn't the sunlight kinda hurt you a bit when you came here?" Erica asked me, her head tilting to one side. I tried to remember the trip. A faint memory came to me as I remembered me burying my head in Logan to block my eyes from the sunlight as he carried me to my car.

"A bit…" I said faintly. A knock rang in the room.

"WHO IS IT?" Erica cried.

"Zoey Redbird!" the voice sang out. Sarah jumped off her bed to get the door.

"Coming!" she sang.

The door was yanked back to reveal the high priestess. She smiled a sunshiny smile and stepped in. In her arms, a few books were stacked in her arms.

"I have Aurora's book for her classes and her class schedule. Here you go, Aurora," Zoey said, letting the books fall gently into my arms along with a piece of paper stuck into the first book. I simply thanked Zoey and she left with a 'you're welcome'. I walked to my bed and let the books tumble down onto my bed. Erica came to sit on my bed. I grasp the little slip of paper with my schedule. I examined to see which classes I had.

_7:45 P.M….….. General Announcements_

_8:00 P.M….…. Vampyre Sociology 101_

_9:00 P.M…...… Writing_

_10:00 P.M…...…Voice _

_11:00 P.M….…...Math_

_12:00 A.M…...Lunch: all organic _

_foods, an assortment of local produce of cheeses,_

_Red wine or white wine_

_1:30 A.M…..….Foreign Language (Spanish)_

_2:30…...…Exercise: Yoga_

_All classes end at 3:00, but after-school activities extend to any necessary times._

Erica peered at the slip of paper.

"We have math and yoga together!" she exclaimed. Sarah came to look at my classes too.

"We have writing, voice, math, and yoga together! Awesome!" she exclaimed.

"And, of course, lunch," Erica added, smiling. I smiled back as I placed my laptop onto my desk, and then dumping all the cosmetic items Ally gave me into one of the tiny drawers.

I tossed myself back onto my bed.

"So what day were you guys Changed?" I asked, trying to get some type of conversation going.

"September twenty-first," Sarah said proudly.

"July thirty-first," Erica yawned, stretching.

"In 2009?" I asked.

"Obviously," they said together, then laughing.

"Uh-oh, come on let's get dressed for school. The vamps here always know the sizes of the new kids," Sarah said, running to the closet.

"It's creepy," Erica muttered, shivering. Sarah stepped into the rather large walk-in closet and flicked at the light switch so the closet would illuminate.

"Wow, the closet it huge!" I exclaimed.

"We have the largest room of all the dorms," Erica said, matter-of-factly.

"Only because we're awesome!" Sarah giggled.

"Imagine what Gwendolyn would do to get this closet," Erica said as she rolled her eyes.

"She'd ask us to join the Dark Daughters, and give us a thousand bucks, _each_," Sarah laughed. Sarah began to ruffle through the clothes as Erica glanced at me.

"Ya might want to trade in that sundress for a pair of jeans," Erica said. I looked down and the flow-y hem of the dress twirled around my knees. I had forgotten all about the sundress. I went to one of my boxes that lay upon my bed and pulled out a few clothes. The blue faded jeans were at the bottom. As I grabbed a pair, I sprinted toward the bathroom to change out of the sundress. As the dress crumpled at my feet, I pulled on the tight yet comfortable skinny jeans and pulled on a white tank top over my bed. I grabbed for my sundress and threw it on my bed as Sarah and Erica both gently threw a piece of clothing at me. I caught a black blouse and a pullover sweater in another. A pretty streak of silver embroidery fashioned itself onto the breast of the sweater. I took a closer look at it.

The silver embroidery twisted itself in the shape of a magnificent spiral that glittered around and around in a delicate circle that would rest over my heart.

I threw the blouse over my head and slipped on the sweater, looking down to see the spiral.

"That's our sign," Erica said softly.

"Our what?" I asked, confused.

"Ok, so there are third formers, fourth formers, fifth former, and sixth formers, right? We all have our little symbol and our happens to be the silver labyrinth of our goddess—"

"Nyx," I finished.

"What does it mean?" I asked as my finger traced around the spiral.

"Something about new beginnings as we start walking the Path of Night and learn the ways of the Goddess and the many possibilities of our new life," Sarah said, her eyes glittering in a way.

"But it mainly symbolizes the circular nature of life and beauty of our belief that, ya know, though all bodies or outer cases must die, life itself is eternal and never ending," Erica added, a majestic tone filling her words.

"Wow, that's some deep stuff," I said, eyebrows rising up.

"Yup," Erica and Sarah said simultaneously. Sarah suddenly clasped her hands together.

"Alrighty, so, get your things ready and together and we are heading downstairs," she said cheerfully. We all dashed in the bathroom which was also large with _three _sinks and brushed our teeth along with brushing our hair. Then I carefully smoothed some of the lip gloss Ally gave me unto my lips and applied a thin but nice coat of light purple eye shadow onto my eyelids. As I exited the bathroom, I grabbed a bag and stuffed my books into it. Sarah and Erica did the same and we all bounded down the stairs to the kitchen in the main room. I went to the refrigerator and pulled out a carton of eggs. As I pulled out two eggs I crack them over a sizzling pan and let them cook. Erica and Sarah both poured themselves Cheerios as other girls began to waft in. As the egg finished cooking I placed it onto a plate and ate it as I placed the pan in the sink, rinsing it.

As the finishing remains of cheerios and egg disappeared, we all ran across campus to get to the school building. As I entered the new school I was attending to my first class, I never looked back to see the little flowers that sprang from the touch of my footsteps across the greenery of the campus, illuminating in the glow of the moonlight.

* * *

As I took a seat at a desk I pulled out a book that read "Vampyre Sociology 101."

The bell suddenly rang out in five yells and settled down as a male Vampyre settled behind his desk.

"Good morning, class. I am pleased to notify all of you of our new student, Aurora Wilds." The man said. I held still. _Shit, I hate attention_.

I quietly and slowly brought myself to a stand. I looked around to see small warm smiles and gave a nervous smile back. I quickly sat back down with a plop and brought my book over my face.

"Aurora, my name is Professor Damien Maslin." The guy had dark brown eyes and hair and looked…cutely handsome (tee-hee). His sapphire crescent was filled in beautifully and around his crescent were cloud like tattoos that seemed to blow, like how air blows at the clouds. Everything else around him was little swirls, carving around his cheekbones and strong muscular jaw.

"Nice to meet you," I replied casually.

As Damien turned his back to write something on the white board, a piece of paper drifted to my desk. I looked around and unfolded the paper to see what was on it. Two words were written in a beautiful calligraphy.

_He's gay._

I suppressed a giggle, my teacher was gay. I didn't really mind the fact; it was just that, this was a first. I looked around to see who was the owner of the paper and saw a curvy and petite girl wave at me. I waved to her back and she tossed another paper at me secretly.

_The name is Sofia Mancuso._

I took a look at her. Dark brown waves fell to her hips and eyes glittered an eerie coffee brown. A warm smile played on her lips. I took a look at Damien and saw what he written on the white board. The names _Una_ and _Mirain_ were written and underlined three times.

"Anyone want to guess why they were important to history?" Damien asked the class. Sofia raised her hand immediately.

"Sofia?"

"Well, they were the first to be gifted with the affinity of air and they were the beginning of the Dark Daughters," she said, matter-of-factly. Damien nodded. Suddenly a gust blew throughout the classroom causing a slight ruffle to everyones clothes and hair.

"And as you all know, I have been blessed by the Goddess Nyx also with the affinity of Air," he said happily, a wind turning into a slight breeze and then nothing.

"Wow," I gasped. He then went into a long and interesting lecture about the origins of air and more about Una and Mirain. I was so captivated that when the bell rang for the next class I was actually upset. As I gathered my items and let them fall in my bag I walked out the door, only to be stopped by Damien.

"Aurora?" he asked.

I walked to his desk. "Yes?"

"I heard your mentor is Zoey? True or not?" he asked, a smile curling on your lip.

"True. I'm a bit scared though."

"Why?"

"Because now I feel that I have to live up to great expectations and you know, be Miss Goody Two Shoes," I said, glumly.

"Ya know, Zoey wasn't the brightest kid when she was a fledgling…and I know she understands a mistake," he said, patting my shoulder.

"Really because there's this girl and she's really getting on my nerves and if she doesn't quit I think I might hurt her," I confessed shyly. He laughed.

"I know who you are talking about, and I think a fight to put her in her place might make Zoey laugh rather than angry. Trust me, she's been there. Just try and not get in a fight," he said, smiling. I radiated a smile back.

"Ok," I said, smiling. I left thinking he wasn't so bad of a teacher, even if he was gay.

* * *

I took a seat beside Sarah as I entered Writing. As we both hunched over writing a piece we were assigned Sarah whispered to me.

"How's the school so far?"

"Vampyre Sociology is awesome! Even the teacher, he so cute, but I found out he was gay." I gave face of mock sadness and she giggled.

"You know what they said, 'all good men are either gay or married.'"

A quiet laughter escaped my lips. For once, I actually found school to be quite…fun.

* * *

Together, Sarah and I skipped to Voice. An Okie twang vibrated beautifully in the room. As we entered, I was met by a vampyre who had _red_ tattoos. _Red_! The crescent was filled in with a shaded blood red color and surrounding her face was a beautiful mask of flowers. Little petals fell all over her cheeks and the room was covered in beautiful, exotic flowers. The vampyre had short, blonde, curly hair and skin was a cream color. Her eyes were similar to a puppy dog. She clapped her hands together and spoke.

"Ok, y'all! This is out new student Aurora! Make her feel welcome! Aurora, I'm Stevie Rae," she exclaimed. The woman had the thickest Okie accent I have ever heard. Sarah nudged me.

"She's my favorite teacher," she whispered to me. I took a spot beside Sarah and Stevie Rae made the class do voice exercises and gave us each a piece of music. As I took a look at it I realized the piece was a love song. My thoughts drifted off to Logan. I remembered the softness of his touch as he carried me and the way he hair looked so silky and beautiful and how when our eyes met I simply just melted into them.

* * *

Math completely faded away as really all I did was talk to Erica and Sarah. As we walked over to the cafeteria—I mean dining hall as that was what the Vampyre wanted us to call it, I got kinda scared. Were they going to make me get raw steak and bloody chicken and drink blood? My throat constricted the more I thought about it.

As I entered the large dining hall, the first thing that wafted toward me was the smell of…..burgers and fries! I turned to Erica and Sarah.

"No blood diet?" I asked. They laughed at me.

"No! We're too young to be getting the urges and stuff for blood," the laughed. I gave a sigh of relief and a nervous giggle. As I got my food and green tea and began to walk with Sarah and Erica to their table, I took in the scenery. The walls were made of a beautiful mixture of jutting bricks and black rocks as the exterior of the building and the room was filled with heavy wooden picnic tables and had matching benches with padded seats and backs. The ceiling was low and the rear wall was made up of windows with a glass door in the very center. Outside you could see a courtyard with stone benches and twisting, winding paths. Decorative bushes and flowers spotted the area added a touch of more beauty. In the center of the courtyard was a marble fountain with water spouting from the top. It was pretty, especially lit up by the moonlight and the antique gaslight. I turned my attention back to the cafeteria where a lonely table sat in the center of the dining hall, overflowing with cheeses, red wine(?), fruits, and meast.

"What's the table in the middle for?" I asked

"Offerings for our Goddess," Erica said casually as we all took a seat. We all took a bite from our burgers as the girl from first period fluttered to our table.

"Hi, Sofia!" Erica and Sarah said.

"Hi, guys! Hi, Aurora!" Sofia exclaimed, settling at our table. Her tray clattered onto the table as she sat.

"Ok, guys, guess what?" Sofia asked, completely excited.

"You bought a new bottle of nail polish?" Erica asked, rolling her eyes. Sofia glared at Erica but got over it quickly.

"No…but…Gwendolyn's boyfriend keeps staring at Aurora!" she exclaimed. Erica and Sarah choked on their burgers.

"Jayden?" they asked, completely in shock.

"Who?" I asked, completely confused. A guy likes me?

"Jayden, the hottest fifth former here, has the hots for you!" Another girl said. I turned my attention to a caramel-mocha girl who sashayed over to our table. She was curvy and tall and had the skin of hot chocolate and mocha eyes. Her lips were full and she took a seat by Sofia.

"That's my cousin Breonah, we both have Hispanic blood in us and thankfully for me, she got marked a few days after me. Enough of that though, Jayden likes you!"

"Ok, Sarah and Erica, don't look now but, look at him and look at where he is looking…one…two…three!" Breonah counted. Erica and Sarah both jerked their heads to look at this guy…and so did I. The moment our eyes met, supposedly Jayden, blushed and looked away…causing Gwendolyn to notice his abrupt movements…who noticed us checking out her boyfriend. We all snapped our heads back.

"Oh, hell, the she devil is coming!" Breonah whispered in a…yelling whisper. Sarah and Erica cringed.

"She's a bitch," I said, making everyone laugh.

"I'm a what?" a voice asked behind me.

_Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit!_ My thoughts rapidly ran though my head. I turned to see a rather angry face that belonged to Gwendolyn.

"Gwendolyn, this is our table. Go away," Breonah said, rolling her eyes. Gwendolyn turned to face Breonah.

"Shut the hell up, bitch," she said.

"Hey! You can't talk to my cousin that way!" Sofia said firmly as she stood up.

"I can talk to her anyway I want!" Gwendolyn screeched. We were half of the focus of the dining hall.

"Hey! Ya wanna go?" Breonah and Sofia yelled, threatening to fight the stupid brunette.

"I can take you all on right now!" Gwendolyn screamed as she began to march around the table to fight Breonah and Sofia. Before she took a step, I swiftly stood up and pushed her down to the floor.

"Bitch, I swear I will hurt you if you hurt my friends," I said firmly. Gwendolyn, strucked speechless on how a third former and newly Changed fledgling was unafraid to knock somebody(her) off their(her) feet, glared at me as she pulled herself up.

"You wanna play this game? Fine. How's this? I'm gonna make your life miserable. I want you to join the Dark Daughters and I want you to attend the ritual tonight. Decline, you life will be hell. Accept, and your life goes beyond hell," she challenged. A few gasps echoed across the dining hall and I began to wonder why an adult Vampyre has not interfered yet. My palms began to sweat lightly as I thought about making the right choice.

_My hand will catch you if you fall, Daughter. Accept and I will support your weight. Trust me, daughter. _

The voice was like a beautiful sound. I knew Nyx was watching over me. All I have to do is trust in her and she would guide me toward the right path.

"I accept."

"Bad mistake," Gwendolyn smirked and walked away, leaving a trail of anger and mischief in her wake.

Something vibrated in my left jean pocket and I pulled out my Rumor Touch. A little message from Ally appeared on my screen.

**How's school so far?**

As I type in my message, a sense of dread filled me.

**There's a mean girl who probably wants to kill me.**

I took a look at my friends that surrounded me. They all high-fived me and laughed. I hoped only for one thing: that Nyx would protect me well. Because if she didn't, I was going to be in some serious shit.

How's that for a first day?

A/N: Ok guys! How was that? Please review guys! I'll lurve ya forever! And remember, if ya review, ya get a shoutout. And remember! Bella(my dog) will hurt you if you don't!Please review guys, it means a lot to me and you guys are the best fans. Lurve ya all!

~NiNi


	4. The Rituals

House of Night Aftermath

Disclaimer: I don't own the book series but I do own any new characters introduced into this story and the plot and ideas.

Shoutouts: thanks 690 for always reviewing and being my bestest friend! I'll be sure to include your boyfriend in the next chappie! *laughs evilly* mwahahahaha! Thank you red-dragon 93551 too for your review, your review made me feel really happy! I hope you enjoy this chapter and scream 'nooooo!' again. Thanks you guys for reviewing!

**The Rituals**

Foreign Languages was a blur and the moment I stepped into Yoga, I was bombarded by Sarah and Erica.

"I cannot believe you pushed Gwendolyn down to the ground!" Sarah exclaimed.

"She was not kidding when she said she was going to make your life hell," Erica said worriedly.

"I know, but you have to stand up to a girl like that," I countered. We all had already changed into a loose tee and baggy Capri shorts for Yoga. When I entered the classroom the first thing I felt was utter warmth and the sound of trickling water.

Then the second thing I noticed was that I had _two _teachers, not _one. _They stood beside each other, looking so different, yet, startling the same in a weird way.

"Welcome Aurora!" they chimed together.

The first one was seriously blonde with pretty blue eyes and the second was seriously dark, with eyes so black you couldn't see the pupils and hair that fell in dark, glossy waves around her shoulders. The blonde girl tattoos were sapphire and surrounded by little water droplets. Waves framed her entire face and tiny fishes seem to jump from the waves. The other girl had flames that seemed to spout out of her crescent and the flames seemed to curl around and her high cheekbones.

"Aurora, I'm Professor Erin Bates—"

"And I'm Professor Shaunee Cole," the mocha girl interrupted.

"Hi," I said to them both. They smiled and began to instruct the class of Yoga. Sarah, Erica and I got a mat that was fairly close to each other and begun to repeat the movements Erin and Shaunee were portraying. Erin said to imagine you doing yoga under a waterfall and Shaunee added to that by saying 'in utter, complete warmth.' So we all had to imagine being under a waterfall in complete warmth. We all wanted to laugh, both elements were joining. Erica whispered to me.

"Shaunee is my mentor! Did ya know that she has the affinity for fire?" she asked. I gasped.

"That's so cool!" I exclaimed in a hushed whisper.

"And Erin is my mentor and she has the affinity for water!" Sarah added.

"Awesome!" I said.

"They're best friends," Erica whispered.

"Just like the three of us!" Sarah exclaimed. I smiled, and then went into the back arch they told us to do. Little by little, tension flowed out of me and I felt relaxed. I took a deep breath in through my nose and released in out my mouth. A slight shiver of warmth ran up my body. I wondered how long I would be relaxed before the stress of the rituals hit me.

* * *

As Sarah, Erica, Sofia, Breonah and I walked silently to Nyx's temple, a nice rosy, sweet, incense seem to wash over me. I paused to hesitate a moment.

"Scared?" Erica asked.

"Yeah, but more of the other ritual than this one," I said, nervously.

"Don't worry. The Full Moon Ritual is awesome. Oh, and yeah, when an adult vamp comes to you and traces a pentagram on your forehead and says 'blessed be' you say 'blessed be' back. Then you follow us over to our place in the circle," Breonah explained carefully, giving a nice smile at the end of her words. I nodded.

"Ok."

I resumed my walking and bounded up the stairs. We walked deeper into the temple and the scent became stronger as I entered the dark arched foyer of Nyx's temple. We walked deeper into the foyer and a sound of running water rang softly through. We all passed a rather beautiful fountain, and the entryway curved gently to the left. A gorgeous vampyre stood within the thick, arched stone doorway. Her sapphire tattoos were elaborate series of knots that entwined around her face and sapphire horses stood on both sides of her filled in crescents

"That's Lenobia, she the Equestrian Studies teacher," Sofia murmured to me. Erica stepped to me.

"Follow my lead," she whispered quickly as she stepped to the vampyre. Erica placed her fist over her over her heart as Lenobia smiled and dipped a finger in a rock bowl she held. She then traced a five pointed star on Erica's forehead.

"Blessed be, Erica Underwood," she said.

"Blessed be," Erica mimicked back to her.

Erica then disappeared into a smoky room that was behind the vampyre. I stepped next and followed the movements Erica went through. I placed my fist over my heart and smiled shyly to Lenobia. She returned the smile and dipped her finger in what I could now see was oil.

"Merry meet, Aurora Wilds, welcome to the House of Night and your new life," she said sweetly as she traced the figure on my forehead. "And blessed be," she added.

"Blessed be," I mimicked back to her quietly, in total shock at the electric shiver that coursed through my body when the damp star took form on my forehead. As I recomposed myself, I skittered to the smoky beyond.

There were so many candles. They were a pure shiny white that suspended in the air in iron chandeliers that seemed to gleam in the glow of the candle lights. As I looked for Erica, I took in the appearance of the room. So many fledglings were gathered into a very large circle. Finding Erica, I swiftly went to her and placed myself beside her as Sarah and Sofia entered, soon to be followed by Breonah. They all took their places beside each other, Sarah beside Erica, Erica beside me; Breonah beside me on my right, and Sofia on Breonah's other side. Little whispers escaped out of Sarah's and Erica's mouths, slowly finding their way to me.

"Do you think she might have an element?" Sarah whispered to Erica.

"You mean an affinity? I dunno, but I'm hoping she does," Erica replied.

"What kind of affinity do you think she'll get if she does get one at all?" Sarah asked.

"I dunno, cat affinity? Elemental affinity? Healing? Prophetic poems or visions? There are so many, Sarah. We just have to wait."

"Ok."

Breonah leaned toward me.

"Get ready to turn to the east…" Breonah whispered.

"What?" I said, confused.

"All of us have to turn to a certain direction as Zoey evokes the elements and casts Nyx's Circle. We turn to the East first and Air comes first. You have to turn clockwise," Sofia added. I nodded, still genuinely confused.

A rhythm of a beating drum steadily began, then a vocalizing sound of a vampyre joined as Zoey stood in the center of a circle, surrounded my all my teacher; Stevie Rae(who I now noticed was the one vocalizing beautifully along with the drumming), Damien, Shaunee, and Erin.

A dark man, off toward the side, began to recite a poem. It was obvious that he had recited the poem many times and his words flowed deep and stirred in everyone. He slowly stepped toward the circle.

_She walks in beauty, like the night_

_Of cloudless climes and starry skies_

_And all that's of best and bright_

_Meet in her aspect and her eyes_

Zoey, dressed in the blackest of silk, moved gracefully outside of her living circle. She made the spoken words seem…_alive_ as she twirled gracefully around and around. Candlelight sprayed across her dress, making it shimmer and catch light and throw it right back in a dazzling reflection. We were all mesmerized. I barely heard the last stanza of the poem as it bounced across the walls.

_Thus mellow to that tender light_

_Which heaven to gaudy day denies_

Zoey ended up stopping in the center of her circle as the poem ended. She then lifted a silver goblet.

"Welcome Nyx's children, to the Goddess's celebration of the full moon!" she boomed, her voice magnified by the power of her Goddess.

"Merry meet!" the adult vamps boomed back. Zoey lifted the corners of her lips in a smile and gently placed the silver goblet back onto the table and grabbed a long white taper that was lit and sitting in a single candlestick holder. She walked to Damien, who I thought was the head of the circle. He held a bright yellow candle in his hands.

"Get ready…" Sarah whispered.

"From the east I summon Air! I ask you to blow away any negative feelings in order for us to begin a new moon cycle and to carry the gift of knowledge to us!" Zoey exclaimed, clearly excited. I saw a slight wind whirl around them and felt a brushing of air on my arm. I turned toward it and saw Sofia's hair blow around her. She looked so happy and smiled hugely. From the corner of my eyes I saw Sarah shake her head at Erica.

"Not Air…" Sarah whispered to her quietly.

Already facing East, I turned right, south, and waited for Zoey to speak as she lit Damien's candle and walked up to Shaunee who held a bright red candle.

"From the South I summon Fire! I ask you to burn away the bad and to leave us a protection of warmth, and for you to light this circle and bring us the gift of strength!" I saw Zoey and Shaunee cheeks flush with heat and a light sweat on their brows as Zoey lit the red candle. On my other arm, a little wave of heat fluttered. The heat radiated from Erica, and she, like Sofia, smiled widely. Sarah secretively took a peek at me when she thought I wasn't looking.

"Not fire…" she muttered under her breath.

I turned to the west and saw Zoey quickly glance at me, a look of concern running deeply in her face. Perhaps she was wondering why I haven't felt anything yet related to the elements. She walked to Erin who held a blue candle. Erin quickly looked at Sarah and smiled. Sarah radiated her own smile, beaming like moonlight.

"From the West I summon Water! I ask you to purify our circle and for you to wash away grief and to let us begin to heal as you fill our circle with compassion and give us the gift of understanding!" Sarah gasped as a wave inside of her seemed to ripple outward on the floor. I turned to see Erin and Zoey and saw the floor, too, rippling beneath them as a salty breeze tickled my nose.

"Not water…" Erica muttered toward Sarah as Zoey lit the blue candle Erin held.

Zoey walked up to Stevie Rae, muttering something to her. A few words silently slipped into my ears.

"I thought she was going to have an affinity for _all_ of the elements," Zoey spoke in a rushed, hushed whispered.

"Zoey, she can't be great like you and have all the elemental affinities, but I can assure you, I can sense that Nyx has gifted her with an element, Earth. I can _feel _it," Stevie Rae whispered.

"But Spirit it telling she has more to add to that!" she exclaimed.

"Maybe she had an affinity for Spirit and Earth?" Stevie Rae suggested.

"Maybe. But I can feel Nyx telling me she has something greater than the elements, something…more powerful. Something forbidden, unknown, and maybe dangerous in the wrong hands…" Zoey dragged, staring in the beyond. Stevie Rae shook her head.

"We'll talk about it later with Stark. Come on, you have a ritual to finish!" Stevie Rae exclaimed with a hushed whispered. Zoey snapped back and began to speak again as I turned toward the North. Zoey lit the bright green candle.

"From the North I summon Earth! I ask you to gift us with the gift of manifestation and fruition and to grow the positive energy we now have as you let moonlight bathe over you!" Zoey boomed.

Have you ever been struck by anything? Maybe lightning (ok, maybe not seeming you might've already be dead), or a baseball bat, or a baseball? Well, I have, and this wave that overcame me felt just like that. Being struck.

I could suddenly feel the softness of a grassy meadow underneath my feet. The aroma of hay and flowers tickled my nose and noises of a bird's song whispered in my ears. Along with the birdsong, a voice also spoke.

_Five elements_

_Five blessed_

_Four with elements_

_Four with nature_

_Three with colors_

_Three with friendship_

_Two with blue_

_Two with family_

_One with power_

_To take or give_

_One with good_

_Confused by evil_

I gasped by the power of the element Earth and the strange poem. A wave of nervousness and a feeling of sacredness rushed within me. The strange voice spoke to me again.

_Call your element to relax. _

Call it? How the heck was I supposed to call it? I closed my eyes and a rush of knowledge rushed over me.

"Come to me Earth," I whispered. I got a sudden response as the smell of flowers again aroused in my nose and the song of a bird turned louder.

"Please, help me calm down. I'm scared and confused. Restrengthen me," I pleaded. Earth whirled around me and I opened my eyes, relax. I turned to Zoey and Stevie Rae, who were staring at me. They both grinned at me but something was hidden behind their eyes. Was it fear? Ambiguity? Did they hear the voice? As the sense of nervousness drew too close to me again, Earth banished it without a second thought. I thanked earth and let it go away. Zoey rapidly went to the center of the circle and lit a beautiful purple candle that she now held in her hands. She drew her hands up to the air, wielding the candle to the ceiling.

"And last, I summon Spirit to complete our circle! Spirit, I ask you to fill us with your connection so your children may prosper together. Please give us the gift of feeling special, for we are more than anything." I heard three gasps echo beside me, along with my own.

I felt my spirit leap with something more than joy. It fluttered like a small bird within my chest. Even my Mark tingled and a spiral of joy seemed to radiate from the four of us; Sarah, Sofia, Erica and me. I wondered why Breonah didn't feel this wonderful feeling, why she didn't bust from happiness of her own element.

Zoey placed down her candle on the table. She turned to face all of us, her face glowing in the flickers of candlelight.

"Everything wax and wanes, which is why we must celebrate the fullness of the moon, our moon. On this night of fullness, we must remember the powers of life, of magick, and of creation are at their brightest. This is our time of doing and building. When the fullness of the moon is here, it is a time of when the veil between the realms of our Goddess and our commonplace world are at their thinnest. One may even surpass the boundaries with ease and know the enchantment and beauty of Nyx. Light…darkness…night…day…life…death…all is tied together by spirit and the touch of the Goddess. By keeping the balance we can learn to entwine a spell of moonlight and fashion with it a fabric of pure essence to keep with us all the days of our lives. Children of Nyx close your eyes, send a secret desire. Tonight, when the veil is most thinnest, perhaps She will grant you your wish and dust you with the diaphanous mist of dreams fulfilled."

Is there really magic in this world? Would my prayer actually be sent and answered. I remembered the Goddess and how she changed my life and even given me power of two elements. I closed my eyes, and thought about mist surrounding me, magic woven into it, sending my wish to my Goddess.

_My only wish Goddess, it to be noticed, to actually mean something other than 'that girl'. To be loved and be able to even keep some old things, like my friendship with Ally. That is all I wish. And thank you Nyx for blessing me with powers beyond my understanding._

I thought about wrapping my wish into mist and lifting to my Goddess as she caught it. Slight warmth danced across my Mark and I smiled.

_Your welcome, Daughter. But know that another affinity will define who you really are…_

Holy Spit! Nyx responded to my wish! I opened my eyes and looked up, expecting, oh, I don't know, some sort of angel watching over me or something. But I only saw the ceiling. Zoey continued on with her ritual.

"This is for a time of traveling unseen, listening to music fashioned and made by nature. A time with oneness with the winds the caress us with their soft blows, lightning that mimics the spark of life. A time to revel in the eternal sea and the warm rain that soothes us as well with the luxuriant land that surrounds and keeps us."

The four vampyres personifying the elements took a goblet and lifted it to the air.

"All hail, O Goddess of the Night and the full moon!" Zoey cried.

"All hail Night, from whom our blessings come. On this night we give thanks to thee!"

All the vampyres returned to their original spots in their circle.

"In the mighty name of Nyx and her consort, Erebus, we ask from within your sacred circle that you give us the comprehension to speak the languages of the wilds, to fly with sovereignty of a bird, to live the power and poise of the feline, and to find an elation and joy in life that would rouse the very heights of our being. Blessed be!" Zoey cried.

In all my sixteen years, I have never, ever, heard anything like that at my church. Never. And never before had I felt energized there either unlike here.

Zoey drank from her silver goblet and offered some to her poet who said 'bless be.' Mirroring her actions, all four of my teachers drank from their goblet, then quickly moving around the circle allowing each fledgling and adult to take a sip from a goblet. The one who offered me a sip from the goblet was Stevie Rae.

"Ain't it wonderful!" she cried.

"Excuse me?" I said, confused.

"Isn't it wonderful to have an affinity such as Earth?" she asked. I nodded rapidly.

"It's awesome! I mean, I have never felt more relaxed and it just grips my soul and it's different from anything I've ever experienced," I said, mesmerized by the thought of my affinity for Earth and Spirit. She nodded and handed me the goblet. I took a sip and it tasted a bit bitter and looked a sparkling red. It was sweet and spicy and unlike anything I've ever tasted.

The goblets were returned to the table once everyone took a sip. Zoey made her last words as we neared the end of the ritual.

"On this moon-filled night, take the time to reflect and let the moonlight refresh you and help you remember how extraordinary you are. Bask in your uniqueness. Revel in your strength. Our gifts are what separate us from the world. Never forget that because the world never will. Now let us close the circle and embrace the night."

Zoey then departed with the elements in reverse order and sent them away as she blew out the candles. I felt most torn as I watched Spirit and Earth leave. Zoey ended the ritual by saying, "This rite is ended. Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again!"

And then it was over. My first ritual of the Goddess was over.

* * *

"Oh my god!" Breonah started

"You have an affinity for Spirit and Earth!" Sarah exclaimed.

"I thought she was going to get all of the elements!" Sofia cried.

"Nah, she's like us. One element plus Spirit," Erica casually said.

"Yeah, hey, how come Breonah doesn't have an affinity?" I asked.

"I do, it's just not elemental," Breonah said.

"Really, what kind of affinity do you have?"

"She has an affinity for prophetic drawings. She draws something and it describes the future. It's awesome!" Sofia said.

"I bet!" I added.

"Holy crap, here comes the she-devil!" Sarah panicked. I turned around to see Gwendolyn and her posse.

"You haven't forgotten about our little ritual did you? The Dark Daughters Ritual?" Gwendolyn said as she flipped back her hair. I crossed my arms over my chest.

"Course I haven't. I was going to head there after I finished talking to my friends," I said.

"What a lame group of friends," Rhiannon smirked.

"Who you calling lame? You're the lamest one here," Breonah countered. Rhiannon's smirked turned into a bearing of teeth.

"Nice to see you care, Gwendolyn, but don't worry 'bout me. I'll be there in a few. Now run along," I said, motioning with my hands for her to shoo. Gwendolyn, giving me a nasty look, stalked away.

"I am going to tear her head and neck off her shoulders one day. Just watched me," Breonah said.

"Which one? Gwen or Rhiannon?" Sofia asked.

"Rhiannon," she answered.

"If you do that without getting caught then I'll do the same to Diana," Sofia laughed. We all laughed and Sarah nudged me toward the school.

"The Dark Daughters Ritual is in the Rec Room. We'll take you there."

All four of them walked with me as we silently to the Rec Room.

"What does an Earth affinity feel like?" Erica asked.

I sighed at the memory of feeling flushed by my element.

"I can't really describe it, but it's like being surrounded by an intoxicating aroma of so many flowers and this wonderful feeling of grass tickling your feet and so many bird songs dancing in your ears. It's amazing," I gasped. Everyone smiled at me.

"That's how it feels to me to, being caressed by my element of water, 'cept, it's more like feeling like you're at a beach, surround by waves and the cries of the seagull and the sand smushed between your toes," Sarah said, obviously imagining being surrounded by her element again and feeling totally at ease.

"It's an awesome feeling," Sofia said, in her trance.

"Agreed," Erica finished.

"That's it, right there." Sarah pointed at steps that led to a round brick building positioned on a little hill overlooking the eastern part of the wall surrounding the school. I could see huge oaks wrapped in its' own darkness around the wall. Not a single iota of light shone through the darkened windows and I was beginning to wonder if really anyone was in there. The windows were arched and long and seemed to be made from stained glass.

"I think I'm going to be sick," I said worriedly. What was going to happen in their? Were they going to make me eat bloody meat and suck a human? I felt my breathing become shallow.

"Just ask your element to soothe you, trust me. Everything will be ok," Erica said. I took a deep breath in through my nose and released through my mouth.

_Come to me, Earth. Please soothe me,_ I thought. Earth came to be immediately. A wave of different aromas of plants spilled over me and my breath evened.

"Ok, guys, I'm ready. Thanks. I'll try and catch up with you guys at dinner," I said calmly, smiling.

"Wish ya luck," Breonah said, smiling back.

"Bye," I said.

"Bye," the rest chimed as they walked away. I turned toward the door of the round building. I bounced up the stone stairs and let my hand fall across the heavy iron knocker. With a sigh, the door opened as it brushed out of my palms, away from my touch. A fledgling guy stood in the doorway, his hair brown and cropped and eyes the color of a sea-green. It was disquietingly muscular and astoundingly handsome.

Oh my god! It was Jayden!

"Merry meet, Aurora," he spoke as he smiled widely at me. He then dipped his fingers in a rock bowl similar to the one Lenobia was holding. He traced a pentagram over my forehead, his dampened fingers sliding gracefully across to make the figure.

"Blessed be," he said.

"Blessed be," I murmured back. Something wafted towards me, a sweet-smelling tang filling my nose. It wasn't anything like overused colognes. He smelled like something earthy, like a rain-drenched forest. I snapped out of my trance and skittered past him, blushing like crazy. I stopped once I entered, staring at the interior.

It was a big room; circular-shaped walls were draped in black satin, blocking all types of light, even the beautiful silver moonlight. Under heavy curtains I saw weird shapes, then realizing the weird shapes were due to TV's and game stuff shoved out of the way. The room looked creepy and my view went over to the center of the circle. Situated there in the center of the circle was a wooden table and five candles laying in their holders, and hundreds of white candles around the entire room.

Everyone was wearing black and none of them wore their embroidered rank insignias, but they wore a thick silver chain that glittered around their necks from which an odd symbol dangled. The charm looked oddly like two crescents positioned back to back against a full moon.

"Girls, its Aurora!" Gwendolyn exclaimed as she walked toward me, flanked by her followers.

All three girls wore black dresses that showed too much of their chest and rose to high, way above finger-tip length. While Diana and Rhiannon dressed with plain black, Gwendolyn had the blackest of black onyx beading woven into her hem and neck line. They all had the same necklace as everyone else but Gwendolyn was the only one with the necklace that had garnets outlining the moons. Gwendolyn seemed to make a grab for my arm but I jerked back quickly, hitting hard, fleshy skin. I heard a grunt and a sound of bending over. I quickly jerked my head around. Apparently I elbowed someone in the guts. And that someone was Jayden.

"Oh, shit! I'm so sorry!" I cried as I tried to help Jayden straightened up. But before I could lay another hand on him, Gwendolyn pushed me out of the way to help her boyfriend.

"You just hit my boyfriend!" she yelled.

"Hey! I said I was sorry!" I yelled back.

"Whatever. Diana, take her to the bathroom and let her change into that dress," Gwendolyn said, completely ignoring me.

"Follow me," Diana said with a sneer. She flipped her hair and walked away, and I followed her. They tossed me into a stall and threw a black dress to me. I caught it and felt the material. It was the softest material I have ever felt.

"Hurry and put that on," Diana said. Locking the door, I took of my jeans and blouse and sweater and traded them for the black dress. I loved the dress; it hugged my body and was so darn soft. It was the kind of material that never wrinkled. The dress was simple but flattering and had a round neckline that showed most of my shoulders and the hemline was right above my knees and was decorated with little red sparkly beads. The dress also hugged my arms as it was long-sleeved and stopped right at my wrist.

I happily cried, "It fits!" I then placed on my green flats that contrasted wildly with the red beads and the black dress. But then again, a little color wouldn't hurt, but I'll be sure to bring black flats next time. As I placed my clothes on a hanger I stepped out of the stall and saw Diana holding a necklace. I took the necklace and clasped it behind my neck, watching the charm swing back and forth and glow a bit.

"Gwendolyn will be leading our Ritual so don't do anything funny," Diana said.

"Wasn't planning on it," I replied walking to the door out of this bathroom. Diana stopped me before I opened it.

"You're just enjoying this, aren't you?" she asked meanly. I gave a deep sigh,

"Enjoying what, may I ask?" I said, growing bored and wanting out.

"Being Zoey's favorite," Diana said, her lips twitching up in a grimace.

"Listen, I really don't think I'm Zoey's favorite. Wait, hold on. Is that why Gwendolyn hates me? Because I'm stealing her place as favorite?"

"Pretty much, she feels threatened by you," she said.

"Threatened? By _me?_ Why?" I asked, completely confused. Diana looked both ways, as if suspecting someone to catch her.

"She can, like, sense you. It's like as if she thinks you would become more…gifted or powerful than her. That's the thing. She wants to be number one and she think you might push her out of favoritism or her hierarchy," she whispered to me.

I shook my head. "As her best-friend, don't you think you're betraying your 'leader?' Why are you helping the, uh, what would you call me…'enemy?'" I asked, I mean, I was grateful for the information but why would she tell me this?

Diana turned her head to look at the bathroom mirror, staring at her reflection.

"I'm tired of the way I'm being treated. And maybe if Gwendolyn was put in her place…oh I don't know," she said quietly. She then sharply turned her head towards me again, giving a snarl smile.

"Just because I'm giving you some information doesn't mean we're friends," she then said, hands on hips.

"Course it doesn't," I replied, pushing my way out of the bathroom. I walked over to the circle, standing beside two other fledglings. The inner area of the circle was similar to the one at the temple, but a fragile little girl was sitting off to the side at the table in a chair. The table was draped in black satin and there was a statue of Goddess along with a bowl of fruit and bread with several goblets and a pitcher. Toward the corner of the table was a knife with a bone handle and a long, wicked curving blade that glinted in the moonlight and seemed strangely dangerous. The air began to grow heavy as a heavy incense began to smoke.

There were only about twenty fledglings here and no adult vamps. In the next second a disturbing music began to play. The music was eerie and had that nasty feeling to it. Gwendolyn appeared out of nowhere and began to dance. It was disgusting. It had like a dirty twisting of the hips and lap dancing. I found it repulsive, but a few guys seemed to be enjoying the view.

As she ended her dancing she stopped in front of a fledging who represented Air. I turned to the east and watched as she lit the candle. She lifted her knife and slashed a pentagram before she spoke.

_O winds of storm, in Nyx's name I do call thee forth,_

_Cast thy blessing, I do ask,_

_Upon the magic which shall be worked here!_

She was good at magnifying her voice and really throwing it out there, but she wasn't as good as Zoey. I turned to the South and waited for fire. Gwendolyn walked to fire and lit it, slashing another pentagram.

_O fire of lightning, in Nyx's name I do call thee forth,_

_Bringer of storms and power of magic,_

_I ask your aid in the spell I do here work!_

We all turned West for water and she slashed another pentagram after lighting the blue candle.

_O torrents of rain, in Nyx's name I do call thee forth._

_Join me with your drowning of strength, in performing this_

_Most powerful of rituals!_

I numbly turned to the North. She lit the green candle and sliced the figure. I had a feeling that she wasn't doing this ritual right. It felt all sorts of wrong. But, I still felt the presence of my Earth affinity as it was called.

_O earth, deep and damp, in Nyx's name I do call thee forth,_

_That I may feel the earth herself movie in the roar of the storm _

_Of power_

_Which doth come when you aid me in this rite!_

My Mark began to burn and my hands tingled a bit as I smelled cut grass and heard the cries of a mockingbird. Gwendolyn walked to the center of the circle as lit the purple candle as she slashed her final pentagram. She held her candle in the air.

_O spirit, wild and free, in Nyx's name I do call thee to me!_

_Answer me! Stay with me during this mighty ritual _

_And grant me thy Goddess's power!_

A whirlwind of my soul being lightened rushed through me; my spirit was flying everywhere and fluttered wildly. Even though she wasn't as strong and didn't have the poise and power of Zoey, Gwendolyn's words ignited me as I became one with my affinities.

"Fledglings! This is a time to celebrate the time of the full moon! To bathe in the magnificence of this night! Our ancients knew the many mysteries of this night and used it to strengthen themselves… and to split the veil between worlds and realms. Secrets…mysterious…magical…true beauty and power in our vampyre form—not soiled by human law and rules. We are vampyres! _Not despicable humans_!" she exclaimed.

Hold on a second! Was—was this ritual getting prejudice? Against _humans_? Well, she's one to talk! We were all humans once—before we were Marked!

"Nyx, your Dark Daughters and Sons ask tonight in this rite is what we have petitioned each full moon for the past year. Free the power within our spirits, like your mighty and majestic felines of the wild, we know the nimble limberness of our animal brethren and we are not bound by human chains or caged by their ignorant weaknesses."

In one stride, Gwendolyn stopped short of me. A smirk plastered onto her face as her eyes shone a sinister evil. Diana's voice echoed in my head.

_She feels threatened by you…It's like as if she thinks you would become more…gifted or powerful than her._

Gwendolyn thrust the goblet into my face.

"Drink, Aurora Wilds, and join us in asking Nyx for what is ours by the right of blood and body and the Mark of the great Change."

I took a glance at the liquid in the goblet. A deep red liquid splashed in it. I had a feeling to say no but how? I knew Gwendolyn would pounce on me if I didn't. I grabbed the goblet and took a tiny sip. The taste of the wine was completely different than the one from the full moon ritual in Nyx's Temple. It was sweet, like the other one but, there was an added spice to it that tasted like nothing I've ever tasted. It was an explosion in my mouth, the most wildest of sensations. It traveled down my throat in hot, bitter-sweet trail that burned sweetly. It filled me with a woozy yearning to drink more and more of it. My better judgment stopped me from drinking every drop in the goblet. I simply returned the goblet to her, fighting the urge to take it back.

In return, I got a blank look. Did she poison it? Was she expecting me to vomit and embarrass myself? Ha, joke's on her.

"Bless be," she said blankly.

"Bless be," I smiled.

Gwendolyn went around the circle and gave everyone a sip from the goblet. I noticed most of the fledglings who took a sip of it twisted their lips in disgust. Was I supposed to do the same? Is something wrong with me? In no time flat, she returned to her spot in the center of the circle. She lifted the goblet again.

"Magical Goddess of the Night and of the full moon, she who ascends through thunder and the gale, leading the spirits and the Elder Ones, beautiful and splendid one, who even those most ancients obey, assist us in what we ask. Fill us with your supremacy and magic and strength!"

Gwendolyn tilted the edge of the goblet to her mouth and I watched as the last drops of the suspicious wine spill into her mouth. And like everyone else, almost invisible to the naked eye, I watch her shudder a bit from the taste of the wine which she thought as repulsive. When she finished her sipping, music found its way again and Gwendolyn started up her lap dance again as she laughed and danced her way back around the circle blowing out the candles and told each element good-bye.

"Merry meet and merry part and merry meet again!" she cried finally. Everyone including me broke away from the circle.

I found my way to the refreshment table and took a swig from a bottle of water, rinsing the intoxicating sweet-spicy taste of the wine from my taste buds. I heard footsteps coming towards me before I heard a snide voice.

"You seemed to enjoy the wine," Rhiannon said.

"She didn't even make a twisted face," Gwendolyn rudely complemented. I quickly thought of a comeback and shrugged.

"Some people just are more immune to different taste others think repulsive," I said innocently.

"Yeah, but this wasn't just any ordinary taste," Diana said, rolling her eyes.  
"Really? Then what was it?" I said, arms folding over chest.

"Blood," Gwendolyn said as she gave a wicked smile.

My stomach had just begun to disagree with me.

"B—Blood?" I asked, feeling dizzy.

"Yeah, our little donor there put some into our goblet. She our, whatchacallit… _refrigerator. _You see, Zoey used to lead the ritual when she was a fledgling but that was like twenty years ago and when I came here I decided to spice it up a bit because apparently, fledgling blood doesn't have any risks to it," Gwendolyn said evilly. I didn't ask her anything about the risks or ask her if Zoey had really been High Priestess for more than twenty years. I just stood there, feeling my insides twist and twist and constrict my throat. My body became suddenly very hot. I placed my hand over my forehead.  
"Uh—I'm just gonna go—um—clear my head. Thanks for inviting me," I said as I swayed to the door. My insides were raging and the twisting in my guts became worse and tightened. I have never felt so sick. Clutching my side and dragging my own weight I leaned my back against the protective school wall. I concentrated on the coolness of the wall and breathed shallowly. Finally I couldn't take it anymore and hurled my guts up, holding up my hair own from my mouth and careful not to get any vomit on the black dress.

As I shakily wiped my hand across my mouth and stumbled away from the puke spot, I knew this day couldn't get any worse.

Man, was I wrong.

A/N: of course, you guys no the drill, review and you get a special shoutout! It took me forever to write this chapter, i had to look in Marked to describe the rituals perfectly several times. And then there was my laziness because i wanted to play in the snow and sled down the hill in my backyard. Now please excuse we while i finish my homework and watch Spongebob write his essay! Haha! bye, guys! Dont forget to review!


	5. The Oak Tree and an Imprint

House of Night Aftermath

Disclaimer: I don't own the book series but I do own any new characters introduced into this story and the plot and ideas.

Shoutouts: Thank you Fantastical Ed and 690 for reviewing and being the awesomest of friends! Thank you Magick 1012 for saying im an awesome writer and loving my chapters

_**The Oak Tree and an Imprint**_

Small, shaky steps led me away from the _spot…_or _puddle. _I shivered in repulse as I tried to name it and the taste of bile still remaining in my mouth.

The idea was sick. Drinking another person's, excuse me, fledgling's blood. And the fact that _I _likeit, was disgusting…I'm sick in the head. I clamped my mouth shut as I remembered drinking the reddish liquid from the cup and how it made my blood turn and make me desire it.

I shook my head, trying to shake away the thought. I tried to focus on something else and ending up singing a nursery rhyme.

_Mary had a little lamb,_

_Little lamb,_

_Little lamb._

_Mary had a little lamb,_

_Whose fleece was white as snow. _

Well, singing a nursery rhyme and ending up changing the lyrics for the next verse.

_Aura had a little cat,_

_Little cat,_

_Little cat,_

_Aura had a little cat,_

_Whose fur was black as night. _

Having so much fun in changing lyrics, I did it again.

_Aura has a little crush,_

_Little crush,_

_Little crush._

_Aura has a little crush,_

_Whose—_

"Uuf!" I yelped.

Having so much fun and losing focus around myself, I ran smack-dabbed in a rather large looking oak.

Or what once seemed to be an oak.

The oak seemed to be about two floors high and completely splitting in half. I ran my hand along one half of the trunk of the tree and found the trunk to be awfully black. Black pieces of the trunk colored my hand black as all was left of the tree were ashes clinging to it. I could imagine the tree burning from a powerful source of fire, but that fire was not enough to bring it down.

But the tree might as well be dead.

I could literally hear the cries of the tree and feel its pain as an echo of screams burned itself into my spirit. I stepped closer to the tree and ran my hand along its trunk again.

"You've been through so much, haven't you?" I asked it.

Freakily, the tree gave me a reply…by showing me images, or its memories.

The first it showed me was a fledgling finding an orange and white cat as the cat called out to her owner. I was struck speechless when I saw that the fledging was Zoey, my mentor and High Priestess.

"_You're like a little lioness. Oh, I know what I'm gonna call you, Nala, like that lioness from The Lion King," _Fledgling Zoey said_. _

The tree suddenly flashed forward as I saw Zoey socializing with two humans, I saw the immediate hatred in Zoey's eyes for a girl named Kayla as she found out that her friend, Kayla, liked her boyfriend. Then I saw Kayla leave and this boy named Heath stay and talked to Zoey, pleading her to come back and saying that they were rescuing her and the fact that Zoey didn't want to be rescued. Zoey suddenly became entranced with the pulsing of Heath's blood and Heath telling her to drink from him and Zoey finally doing that as she and Heath moaned with pleasure. Zoey finally stopped drinking when the two of them heard a scream coming from Kayla. The next thing I saw was Zoey threatening Kayla.

Again, the tree's memory flashed forward and I saw a lot of fledglings surrounding the tree in some sort of ritual. The next thing I saw and heard was an arrow string through the air and hit a fledgling. I was awestricken to see it hit Stevie Rae in her chest as she bled a whole lot of blood. So much that it seemed as if the Earth was bleeding and leaking around the tree. Someone shouted and suddenly a huge crack and boom was heard as the tree spilt in two and a beautiful man stepped out with wings as black as coal and a lot of raven/human thingies flew out of the tree. The tree's pain ripped my soul and I felt like crying for the tree. The tree flashed forward again.

I saw a few fledglings and professors battle the human-raven thingies and heard the name of them as a fledgling warned a teacher and tried to defend her.

"_Anastasia! There's a Raven Mocker behind you!"_

With that last cry of warning, a Raven Mocker swiped the teacher as she fell down, losing in the battle of death. Another professor stopped battling his enemy and went up to the dead Vampyre. He cried out in agony and it only took a second to figure out that that the woman was his wife. More tears fell down my cheeks as I saw the grief and sadness of the other Vampyre.

The tree flashed again as I saw one fledgling. Her names rang out in my mind.

_That's Shaunee…_ my thoughts rang.

"_Dang, you're a witness to a lot of terrible things."_

Shaunee's words had sadness to them and she lifted her arms, calling her element. She then commanded it to burn the tree as she walked away. The memories faded away as the last sight I saw was fire licking away the life force of the tree.

The last image came before me; I saw two guy fledglings, talking and one guy folding paper into what seemed to be a sword but being referred as a claymore. The sharp edge pointed up to the sky and my eyes went to a dog named Duchess. She looked obviously worried about her owner. As a guy, whose name I caught was Damien, left with the dog, the other, whose name was Jack, climbed the latter on the tree, placing five origami swords on a fishing line hanging on the low branches while singing a song. From the shadows, an auburn-haired, green-eyes lady stepped from the shadows. In the woman's eyes, something dark flashed and tainted her. In that instant I knew, she was pure evil. The two had a brief conversation before things ended up bad. The woman said something as she raised her palms outward and Jack seemed to be stuck on the latter. When the clock chimed 12, Jack fell off, landing on the pointed end of the claymore as his love saw this happen. His last thought echoed through the memory.

_My goddess, my Goddess of Night, Nyx, opened her arms and enfolded me in, her touch ending the last remnants of mortal pain and sadness and loss, dissolving from my spirit, leaving only—only and always, love. From that moment, I knew perfect happiness._

I was sling-shot out of the memories as I gasped and tried to calm down my pounding heart and regain my breath. Once that goal was achieved, I rested my head against the trunk of the tree, crying from the tree's pain of being torn in half, being burned, watching a fledgling meet her cat, witnessing a teacher die, witnessing Jack die, and being loved.

"You poor thing," I said softly, "I wish there was something I could do."

_There is, child. Call you're element…_

I heard Nyx's voice in the whispers of my head.

I back away slowly and held out my hands, palms facing the tree. I thought of what I should say and it came to me quickly.

"Earth, come to me." I felt Earth's immediate response.

"I ask you to please revive this broken tree. Give it back its life source and let it flourish once more. Spirit, come to me too and help the healing process of this great tree," I said, my voice powerful and strong.

Ripples of green and purple sprouted from my feet as it leaked to the half-dead tree. The elements seemed to wash away the blackness of the tree as a beautiful brown was restored and the greenest leaves sprung from branches. Both elements divided into two to take their own side of the broken brown tree. Connecting the two elements was a silver string and it latched out to both Spirit and Earth and tried to pull the two together as the tree itself mended itself with the silver string. When the tree was once again whole, I stood there, awestruck, mouth hanging partially open and eyes completely open. My arms fell by my sides and my fists clenched and unclenched. One thought rang through my head and I had to yell it to the world.

"Oh my goddess! I'm awesome!" With that, I smiled and went up to tree, which glimmered an earthy brown. I kissed its trunk.

"Feel better?" I asked it. The falling of a few leaves tumbled down over my head as in a response. I patted the trunk where I kissed it.

"Good." I looked away from the tree and toward the protective wall of my school. I couldn't see anything past the wall, and I yearned to see over it.

A sudden realization hit me. I could just simply climb the tree to rest on the roof and stargaze up there.

_Stargazing…_It's been so long since I've done that.

I walked in a circle around the tree, searching for the lowest branch that I could reach and swing myself above the revived oak. Finally finding one, I jumped for it, gripping the branch as I got a hold of it. I swung my legs softly and tried to get my feet up. Man, with this new vampire strength, I was stronger than ever.

Squatting on the branch, I popped myself up to get to the next once, repeating my steps until I reached the once closer to the roof. I slid down the branch as I landed neatly on the roof, almost gracefully. I laughed at myself as I stood on the roof and gazed at the night. Billions of stars speckled the night sky and I felt myself drawn to all the twinkling colorful stars surrounding the full moon.

"Why does it not surprise me that I find you on a roof, stargazing as usual?" a pink, flustered face said to me. I jumped and stared at a girl with blonde hair and uneven bangs with smothering brown eyes.

"Ally!" I cried, running up to her to lift her over the roof. I grabbed her hands and yanked up. Once she was on her feet, she hugged me.

"I have a surprise for you!" she exclaimed as she let go of me. I sat down on the roof and Ally did too as she got her backpack, which I now notice she had with her as she climb, which was half open. Reaching softly into her backpack, she gently grabbed something. A soft _meow_ was heard as a pile of black and white fluff was being caressed by Ally.

In Ally's hands laid a blue-eyed kitten with black fur except the white on the paws and tail and ears. Around the kitten's neck was a satin green ribbon. The kitten turned its head towards me stared into my green eyes and I stared into its own blue eyes. My body was filled with happiness.

"Awwww! She's so cute! It's a she, right?"

"Yes, _she _is a so cute but a wild ball of trouble. And _she _happens to be _yours,"_ Ally said gleefully. I was shocked. This kitten was mine? How was I supposed to take care of her if I'm in a boarding school for Vampyres?

"Ally, I accept your gift, really! But, am I allowed to have a cat in the school?"

"Yeah! You are! I see cats run here all the time! They. Are. Everywhere. I mean, I literally saw like a dozen of cats when I sneaked inside the school's wall." She laughed lightly and I smiled. I could keep the kitten! Yay! I watched the fur ball in Ally's hands. Ally placed the kitten down on the roof in the space between us. The kitten stood on her legs and stared at me some more. In a quick moment, the kitten leaped/ran toward me and settled in my lap, begging me to pet her. I laughed and stroked her back softly and she purred. As I made contact with her fur, something struck my head.

"Kali!" I gasped.

"Excuse me?" Ally asked, confused.

"That's her name. Or what will be her name. Like, starting now."

"Hmmm, a unique name... What inspired you to name her that?

"I dunno, but I do know that it's short for Kalika, she was known as the Hindu goddess involved with eternal energy," I said, watching the little kitty purr.

"Pretty name for a pretty kitty! You have to promise to take care of her," she said.

"Of course! I promise," I said as our pinkies looped.

"Oh, um, I hope you don't mind that I brought another present," she said, smiling wryly.

"Course not," I replied, smiling.

"I saw you looking at _it _today…or yesterday…oh what the heck, when you were human."

"Ok, what is it?"

"Alrighty, hold on…one second…and…two seconds…ok…LOGAN!" Ally yelled. I tensed up at the name and my heart and stomach flopped and fluttered. Kali, noticing me not petting her, nuzzled her head against my hand and begged. I resumed petting her as another flustered face climbed the roof and pulled himself up. I sucked in my breath and held it. He was soon on his feet and went to where Ally and I were sitting. He plopped himself down beside me.

"Wow, you made it seem easy when you climbed the tree," he said cockily towards me. I blushed and petted Kali faster, and then stopped.

"Thanks! Wait; hold on, you guys were watching me? Climb the tree?" I asked, scared and surprise. What else did they see?

"Yeah, man, you can really climb! You were doing it so gracefully and like it took you no effort!" Logan exclaimed. I would've blushed, but I was too freaked out if they saw the whole 'tree' thing.

"Yeah, thanks. Did you guys see… the whole… the tree… healing…" I said, my sentence coming out too incomplete. Ally and Logan exchanged worried looks and in that moment I knew.

_They. Saw. Everything._

I gather up Kali in my hands and stood up.

"Maybe I should go," I said, quietly as I began to take steps toward the branch nearest the roof. Before I could take two steps, Logan gripped my hand. I turned to look at him, really look at him.

He looked so different in the moonlight than he did in the fluorescent lighting in the cafeteria at my old high school.

The silver light that came from the moon better toned his muscles and his face. The honey brown eyes looked deeper and wiser. The hair that looked like different colors of sand now looking like the richest shades of chocolate in the moonlight. I stripped my eyes away from his and looked at Ally, a sad look overcoming my Marked face.

"You guys think I'm a freak, don't you?" I asked, on the verge of tears. Ally's face changed all of a sudden as she bounded towards me smiling. She hugged me as softly as she could so Kali wouldn't be sandwiched between us.

"A freak? Are you serious? That was the most awesome thing I've ever seen! Seriously, you'll like a…a… goddess! With all that power and that sense of supremacy floating around you!" Ally exclaimed, babbling on. From the corner of my eyes, I could see Logan smiling. It was easy to tell that he was being amused by Ally's words.

"Really?" I asked.

"Really!"

"Yeah, I agree with Ally. That was the coolest thing I've ever seen! Do you have any other powers or whatever they're called?"

"They're called _affinities. _And I'm only aware of the two I have, the elements Spirit and Earth.

"They seem to suite you," Logan complemented.

I couldn't stop the blushing as it rose.

"Thanks." Ally looked at me and Logan. She winked at Logan as she faced me.

"Gonna miss you. You too, kitty. Don't do anything stupid, k?" Ally asked me.

"Ok." Ally outstretched her arms in a yawning kind of way.

"Ok, well…I'll leave the two of you here and I'm gonna start climbing down that stupid oak," Ally said with a taste of sarcasm as she slid off the roof and down the tree.

I meet Logan's gaze as he stood up to stand in front of me. The deep down feeling in my gut twisting and my heart jumping. I could hear my shallow breathing as his smile and gaze made me feel bubbly.

And there was this strange feeling in my soul. It wanted to be with him. He was a part of me. And there was this sense of familiarity.

"I knew this whole time," he whispered to me.

"What?" I asked, confused.

"You were never a new student, were you?" I had finally got the point.

"No," I answered honestly.

"You didn't have to change."

"I was tired of being a shadow."

"You were never a shadow."

"No one knew I existed."

"I knew. I knew you existed. I noticed you. You were the only thing I saw."

I sucked a breath. Logan knew I wasn't a new student; he was the only one who noticed me. I looked down and shifted Kali in my arms as I reached to scratch my elbow.

"I like you, Aurora. I mean, I really like you. Shit, this is so stupid. _I'm _stupid. Aurora, basically, I'm asking you if you want to be my girlfriend, even though I don't know you as well as I want to."

My insides exploded with happiness as a wide smile overcame my face.

"Yes! I would love to be you're girlfriend! Yes!" I exclaimed. Logan's face bloomed in happiness.

"Awesome!" he said as he pulled me towards him. He kissed my cheek and I could feel the warmth from his lips.

And hear the pounding of his veins.

I tensed up. My insides felt queasy, and could now almost smell the blood.

I took quick steps away from Logan, using my free hand to cover up my nose and my mouth. I left Logan a few paces away from me and in utter confusion.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked worriedly. I shook my head. He started to walk toward me but I stepped back some more.

"Don't come any closer!" I yelped. I could see the pounding of his blood on his neck. I close my eyes.

"Aurora, I'm so sorry, I didn't know what I was thinking. I thought a peck on the check would be okay with you," he said, obviously worried about me and feeling guilty for whatever he did.

"No! The peck was fine! It was…is…is…" I felt warm arms wrapped around me, I knew it was Logan.

"What's wrong? What do you need?"

I couldn't control my mouth as I spoke.

"Blood."

I tried to squirm out of his arms but he held tightly. I wanted to run so I wouldn't hurt him. I notice Logan thinking deeply.

"You can take it," he said, lovingly.

"I-I-I don't want to hurt you," I said, closing my eyes tighter to block off my senses, but they washed over me. I saw an image of his pumping blood, smell his blood, _hear _his blood, and almost _taste_ his blood.

"Well, love hurts," he said cockily. I opened my eyes and he met my gaze.

"Go ahead, if you want," he said, turning his head so that his throat was available to me as he took Kali from my hands.

"On instinct, both of my hands latched onto his rough shoulders as I turned my head to bite his neck. A shiver of pleasure washed over me.

His blood was so exotic and sweet-tasting. I moaned softly as his blood made me feel light-headed and giggly. Logan moaned too as he placed one hand on my waist and pressed me tighter against him. Logan murmured some words and they escaped my ears. I shivered again and swallowed more. His blood made my heart pound and his touch burned my skin in a good way. I deepened my bite and more blood flowed. This blood was so different than fledgling blood; it was sweet-tasting, exotic, and _so _good.

As I swallowed more, there was this sigh in my soul. My soul _knew _his. We were meant to be together. Nothing was going to tear us apart. Not even the strength of evil.

I licked the bite wounds to close it up, to make it stop bleeding. I stepped back from him, smiling widely. Logan's face looked flushed and he smiled back at me. He stepped up to me and handed Kali to me as he hugged me and kissed my cheek again.

"Bye, Aurora," he whispered to me.

"Bye, Logan. Man, Allison must be pissed that it's taking us so long," I whispered as I smirked.

"Nah, I think she's just happily texting one of the football players she has a crush on." I laughed as I grasped one of his hands and led him toward a branch that hung closely to the roof. Together, one at a time, we climbed down the tree, me landing gracefully on the ground, and Logan landing awkwardly. We gave a final depart and went our separate ways, both of us looking back to meet the other's gaze.

Walking away from the east wall, I took slow, long strides away from the oak. I looked down to see Kali in my arms. I spoke to her slowly.

"It's like déjà vu. You and I, and Zoey and her cat, meeting for the first time near an oak. Like me and Ally, and Zoey and her ex-friend Kayla reuniting at the tree. Like me and Logan, and Zoey and her love Heath, drinking the guy's we like most blood at the tree. We're all connected."

Kali blinked at me and gave a kitten meow as if in agreement.

"I think it means something," I whispered to Kali, as we were now walking across campus to the part of the school's girl dorms.

"My goddess told me something, Kali. She said I was her reincarnation. Doesn't that mean something? It has to mean something. I _know _it mean something."

Kali gave an annoying meow, as is saying she was tired of my babbling. I stared at her, my shoulders slumping down.

"Should we maybe tell Zoey? You think this has something to do with her? And if doesn't, shouldn't she try and help _me _because she's my mentor?" I asked Kali, as my hand fell upon the knob of the large wooden door of the girl's dorm. I curled my hand around the knob, but I didn't yank back to open it. I looked back at Kali as she blinked again at me.

"We'll sleep on it, okay?" I said. I didn't wait for her to give another one of her kitten meows. I yanked back the door and stepped inside, walking up the large staircase, ignoring some stares of fledglings that laid on the couch watching late TV. For the last few steps, Kali leaped out of my arms and sprinted up the last steps, awaiting me at the top, her tail swishing back and forth patiently. When I was at the top, I walked through the hall to my dorm; knocking on the door that room belongs to me and my friends.

"Who is it?" Sarah chimed.

"Aurora! And…someone else!" I chimed back. The door immediately swung opened, and Kali dashed inside, jumping onto my bed and sitting there. Sarah and Erica yelped and jumped back as I let myself in our room. I went to my bed and sat neatly by Kali, as Kali moved her head quickly to take in the room.

Sarah and Erica, once over their jumpiness, bounded towards Kali, immediately petting her head and making baby noises over her.

"She's so pretty!" Erica exclaimed.

"What's her name?" Sarah asked.

"Kalika, Kali for short." I said.

"Weird name…but unique and cute!" Sarah exclaimed.

"Yeah, there was a Hindu Goddess named that and she was involved with eternal energy."

"Her name makes more sense now," Erica commented. Kali scooted closer to me and nuzzled her head against my leg.

"Oh! How was the Dark Daughters Ritual?" Erica asked. I froze.

"It was good until…" I began.

"Until…what?" Sarah urged.

"Until I found out I had drunken blood from a fledgling from the wine cup instead of wine itself," I finished. Sarah and Erica exchanged glances.

"That's not allowed!" Sarah cried. I took a sharp intake of air.

"Gwen told me that it was banished twenty years ago when Zoey was just a fledgling, but that Gwen brought it back when she came here. And I'm sure Zoey doesn't about it."

"We need to tell Zoey!" Erica exclaimed.

"I agree, but what if Gwen tries to do something bad to me if we do?"

All of us exchanged worried glances.

"I'm a 100% sure she'll do something bad to you," Sarah began.

"And we're 100% sure we want to get her in trouble," Erica said.

"But maybe it's not worth the risk if Gwen hurts you because we 'tattled." Sarah finished.

"Agreed," Erica slowly said.

I gave them both a hug.

"Anything else happened?" Sarah asked. I froze. So much happened after that. So much that I didn't want to tell them.

"Nothing."

"You're lying to us," Erica argued. I sighed.

"Ok…strange things happened. Listen, I really don't want to talk about it," I said simply.

"Aurora, I think you should tell us. Maybe we can help. And you really don't have a choice," Sarah said. I laughed then sighed.

"You'll think I'm crazy…" I said.

"Welcome to our world," Erica said simply.

"Ok, well, a tree showed me its memories that were so sad, and then I healed it because the tree was burnt and split in half and after that I wanted to stargaze and climb the tree and then my best-friend Ally, whose a human, found me because she snuck through and we had a brief reunion and she gave me a kitten as a gift and she brought along the guy of my dreams, Logan, who I am in love with and then Ally left us two alone and we talked and he asked if I wanted to be his girlfriend and I said yes of course because I think I love him, and then when he was about to leave, he kissed my cheek and the pounding of his blood entranced me and he said he wanted me to drink from him and so I did and after that I had a feeling like I knew him, like we were meant to be together, and soon after that we parted and I already miss him," I said in one breath as I spilled out what happened. They stared at me.

"You drank from him?" Sarah asked, freaking out.

"Listen, I don't know what came over me! I even tried to stop myself!" I yelled.

"Did you even consider the risks?"

"WHAT RISKS? ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT DRINKING A HUMAN BLOOD CAN CAUSE SOMETHING BAD TO HAPPEN TO ME?" I yelled.

"Nothing bad! Just something sorta-kinda important to know if you're gonna drink from a human!" Erica exclaimed

"Well, what is it?" I asked, beginning to freak out.

"What Erica is saying that you and Logan…might have…imprinted," Sarah said.

"What the heck is imprinting?"

"It's like blood bond between Vampyre and human," Sarah said.

I was about to open my mouth to say something else when we heard a scream. Erica and Sarah froze.

"It's Breonah!" they exclaimed. Erica and Sarah grasped my arm and towed me out of our dorm to Breonah's dorm with Kali at my heels, sprinting behind us.

We burst through the door of Breonah's dorm and saw Sofia holding Breonah's shoulder as Breonah closed her eyes tightly and sketched something on a plain white sheet of paper. Breonah's breathing became rasped as her hand flew across the paper while the pencil made strokes of lines. All of us kneeled beside her. I jumped when Breonah's body jerked and she screamed a blood-curling scream. Her hand went faster and the pencil point seemed dull. No one stared at the picture she was drawing, we all stared at her as her body jerked once more and she crumpled down to the carpet in a shaky breath. She fell over her drawing so no one could see it.

"Breonah! BREONAH!" Sofia yelled to her, trying to shake her awake.

"What happened to her?" I asked Sarah and Erica. Sofia answered my question instead.

"Its Breonah's affinity. She doesn't have an element, though. She had prophetic drawings. This is the first time this ever happen. Usually, her eyes just close and she draws slowly. This the first time she screamed and her moments were so forced and rapid," Sofia said, obviously worried about her cousin. Breonah stirred.

"Breonah?" Sofia hugged her cousin. Breonah clutched her drawing to her chest, shaking violently.

"Oh my god, that was the worst ever. It was so dark and I could sense so much evil and…" she stared at me and then glanced at her drawing.

"You're in it…" she said to me, her brown eyes holding a scared look.

"Bre, let me see the drawing," Sofia said, slowly taking the paper away from Breonah's hand. She then laid the picture of the ground for all of us to me. I first gasped at the beauty of the talent of the drawing. And then I gasped again, shocked to find me within the picture.

The background was a roof of a castle on an island. Around the roof was a glistening, low rail. The person closest to the rail was a man. No, something more than a man, an immortal, I guessed. His wings were black as night and folded neatly behind him. His feathers were beautiful and glistened in the moonlight. His skin was olive and his hair long and dark as it reached his shoulders. Glowing amber filled in his eyes. He seemed to be a beautiful sculpture brought to life. He wore no shirt and his upper section looked toned and muscular. Hanging low on his waist, were dark jeans. His arm was outstretched toward someone, his fingers barely brushing someone else's hand. _My hand. _

I was standing about a yard from him. Clinging to my skin was a loose peach-colored dress. My green eyes seemed wiser and my black curls fell below my shoulders as green ribbons twirled themselves into the curls. My face looked confused as one hand was clutched to my chest and another outstretched toward _him. _

All five of us stared at the drawing.

"Is that Logan?" Erica asked. I shook my head.

"I don't know who that is. Breonah, how about you?"

"I don't know either, look at the side note at the corner of the page. Words were written in beautiful calligraphy. I stared at the words.

_Dreams are not always dreams_

I shivered at the words.

"I got a really bad feeling about this," Sofia whispered.

"Ditto," Breonah said, shivering. Kali pawed the drawing and the colored pencils in the center of all five of us. I took Kali in my hands as Breonah took back her drawing.

"Do you know the guy in the drawing?" Breonah asked me. I shook my head.

Moments of silence passed through. Breonah folded the drawing and passed to me.

"You need to keep it," she said simply. I nodded. Sarah and Erica arose and they pulled me up with them.

"Bye, we should get to our dorms," Erica said. I waved good-bye to Sofia and Breonah and walked out with Sarah and Erica.

The three of us silently walked back to our dorm and got settled in for bed.

Sarah and Erica fell asleep instantaneously. I laid in my bed under the covers, holding the drawing to my chest. Kali cuddled towards me on my side, her warmth radiating to my ribs. I unfolded the paper gently. Then it strucked me.

I knew who the man in the drawing was.

It was the same man in the tree's memories. The one where Raven Mockers and the man erupted from the tree causing it to split in half. I didn't know what his name was or is, but I do know him. I got up from my bed and went to my desk, getting a few tacks. I went back to by bed and put the picture on the wall nearest by bed. With Kali curling up beside me, I faced the wall with the picture. I stared at, trying to figure out its meaning, as the sun began to rise.

Only when I was truly asleep did I understand the words:

_Dreams are not always dreams_

_

* * *

A/N: I'm so happy i finshed this chappie! So sorry that this chappie is kinda sloppy! Please review and you'll get a shoutout! Lurve ya all! ~NiNi_


	6. Dreams, Immortals, and Boyfriends

House of Night Aftermath

Disclaimer: I don't own the book series but I do own any new characters introduced into this story and the plot and ideas.

Shoutout to: FantasyE.D, Twihard.690, and Shifuni

Thanks for reviewing and loving my stories and repeatedly telling me to update.

Reason for not proofreading: I just really wanted to update and when I misspell, you guys know what I mean, it's not rocket science. Plus, I've been harassed enough about updating. I'LL PROOFREAD IT AND FIX IT LATER.

**Dreams, Immortals, and Boyfriends**

The moment sleep overtook me, I was in a dream. I stood atop of a roof with low, curling, railings. The scent of jasmine and oranges wafted through the air as summer-time beach saltiness sprinkled the air. It was easy to tell I was near an ocean, looking at it from the roof of some sort of castle. I looked down, staring at the bright trees that speckled the island around the castle. I looked down at the reflective tiles, staring at myself.

I wore a peach colored dress that flapped and danced in the moonlight breeze. My hair twirled down the small of my back in complicated curls, black as night. My eyes shone deeply, shining with the vividness of green. Smooth, satin ribbons wove themselves into my hair, drifting lazily in the breeze. My face looked blushed under my pale skin.

"Wish I looked this pretty all the time," I said quietly as I looked up from my reflection. The moon glowed softly, yet eerily, as if something bad was to come. I began to walk the perimeter of the roof, choosing to settle near the rails that faced the ocean. I didn't step to close to it, afraid that I might fall over.

Slowly, the hair on my neck and arms rose, tensing something in the air. I panicked for a second, taking a sharp intake of a breath. My breathing stopped as a vortex of onyx feathers twirled above me.

The feathers swirled and twisted over each other, concealing whatever lied inside the vortex. The feathers brushed against my face as they stopped in front of me, calling me.

The feathers dissolved into the air, disbursing, revealing a man with the beauty of a well-carved sculpture.

Everything about him called to me. The amber and seductive glow of his eyes, the long dark hair, his tan olive skin and his muscular body and well-carved abs. The thing that drew me mostly to him were his wings. They seemed blacker that my hair, shining barely with hints of blue and green from the poor lighting, they were outstretched and they called to me, wanted me to step into his arms and let his wings enfold over me. I restrained myself from doing anything from the sort and kept quiet.

"I did not call for you," he said harshly. Heck, even his voice was seductive. I bit the insides of my cheeks.

"Well, I didn't call for you either, bud," I said simply. He reminded of something. Something important yet I couldn't actually figure out what.

"Who exactly were you searching for anyway?" I asked; hand on hip, my attitude seeping out as I tried to push it back in. I hated acting with such a harsh attitude.

"I was searching for a certain soul. Two exactly…or maybe three, fledgling," he replied.

"A soul?"

"Yes."

"What kind of soul? A soul, or someone's soul, or a lost soul?"

"All three."

"That's not possible."

"Yes it is!" he yelled, outraged at my denial and many questions.

I stepped back in fear as he took a shaky breath.

"I should leave; you were not the soul I asked for. I called on Zoey's and A-ya's soul, maybe even Nyx if it is possible for her to have a soul on the earth-plane," he said, as he stretched his wings above him, making him look huge.

"It's possible," I quietly whispered, not really caring if this man heard me or not. The moment I spoke, his wings curled immediately back to his back. He strode towards me in one stride, gripping my shoulders as I yelped in fear.

"What do you mean, fledgling? How would you know if she has one here on the earth-plane?" he shouted at me. I flinched at the volume of his voice.

"Nyx—Nyx—she told me. She told me I was her reincarnated soul. She said she needed someone here, on Earth," I said in a quick breath. My heart was beating rapidly and his eyes turned to stone and his hands leeched out coldness. I shivered at his touch.

"Nyx?" he asked me. He called me Nyx, not knowing my real name and calling me the Goddess of the Night. I nodded slowly.

"My name is Aurora," I said slowly, gauging his reaction. His face was like a mask of stone, no reaction.

"But you are Nyx Incarnate?" he asked, slowly, softly.

"I guess." I tried to shrug but his hands held my shoulder so tightly, that it blocked any moment. Our eyes locked and we looked at each other, me, looking and drowning into his amber eyes, and he, probably looking past my eyes, deeper into my soul.

"Aurora…" he murmured. His amber eyes still deeply focused on me. I nodded slightly, my eyes gazing into his. "You are not consisted of one soul," he said to me, calmly as is gauging my reaction to this. I shook my head.

"Not possible. One body, one soul. My body can't have more than one soul," I stated. His face hardened.

"How would _you _know?" he asked. I opened my mouth to argue, but I couldn't find a good enough argument. I opened my mouth to say something different. "I don't believe it's possible."

"Do not let your beliefs get in the way of the truth."

I looked at him, trying to figure him out.

"And you? Who are you? What are you?" I asked, impatient.

"I am a fallen angel, you could say. My name is Kalona." He gave me a mock smile. When he claimed he was a fallen angel, his face returned again to his stone mask, concealing his emotions. "You have returned to me, Nyx," he said softly, lovingly. I shook my head, breaking away from his stone grip.

"I'm not my goddess. I'm not Nyx."

"But yet you claim to be her incarnation."

"I never claimed it! I just told you what she told me! Do I even look like her?" I asked, outraged.

"Your eyes, green as moss, like hers. Your hair, black as night itself, like her," he began. "You look like her in so many ways…except for the fact that your hair is curly and—"

"That I'm a teenager?" I finished for him. He nodded as I scoffed.

"Is there any way I can leave this dream?" Kalona laughed a seductive laugh. I stepped away from him.

"You believe you are asleep?" he asked.

"Well, I do know that I'm asleep somewhere in my dorm where my kitten is resting beside me as my friends read a book or read their text messages," I answered. He turned away from me and towards the low rails, staring off at the beach which reflected the moon.

"Aurora…dreams are not always dreams," he whispered. A memory snapped back to me.

The _drawing._

The drawing of him and me.

The one Breonah drew that was supposed to reveal the future.

"Where exactly am I?" I asked him, scared.

"You are in the Realm of Dreams in the Otherworld. I called your essence to me and your soul responded. Although, I meant to call Zoey's soul, or maybe A-ya's.

Did he say Zoey's name? My mentor? Kalona froze when he said the names, as if he said too much.

"If you called Zoey, how come I'm here, with you?" He turned towards me.

"I believe Zoey failed to collect you when she shattered. She forgot a piece of her soul, a piece that was not needed to return."

"What?" I asked, shocked and confused.

"I can show you," he said.

His hand was outstretched toward me, his fingers waiting for mine. I locked my hands together, clasping them above my heart. I remembered his words: _dreams are not always dreams. _I remembered the drawing, our hands were outstretched towards one another, in this place, with his words floating in my head. Whatever was supposed to happen, I was supposed to see what Kalona wanted me to see. This. Was. Supposed. To. Happen.

In that moment, I quickly shot my whole arm to him, my fingers barely brushing his. Soon our hands were interlocked, and the air glimmered and sparkled around us.

_A teenage Zoey stood near an entrance to a grove. She seemed wild, uncontrolled. She drew a shaky breath and called for her "joy". A little nine-year old jumped from nowhere and leaped toward Zoey entering her. Zoey smiled, looking more relaxed. She then called for someone else, a red-head appearing before her. Then embraced and the red-head dissolved. Zoey then called for a girl named A-ya _

_A Cherokee maiden walked up to Zoey and they had a brief conversation. The maiden looked to a distance, staring off at a cloud of darkness and the sounds of weapons clashing. It was too late for A-ya to return the missing part of her soul she unintentionally let break off, she had already dissolved into Zoey. Zoey ran from the grove, complete. Except for the fact that she forgot another piece of her soul, and the piece that broke off A-ya's. Zoey's unwanted soul sat alone in the center of the grove. The soul's features changed. Her hair switched from to curly, to straight, to wavy, to curly again. Her eyes changed to purple, to blue, to gold, to green, to brown, to almost black. Her hair color did the same as did her skin color._

_After a while, A-ya's missing soul piece sneakily and quietly merged itself with Zoey's. The soul was now one, now wandering through this unknown realm. The soul tried to find Zoey, tried to be accepted and complete, but Zoey was gone, nowhere to be found. _

_Years past as all it did was wander. Finally, a halo of light cascaded before the soul, calling the lost soul. The soul floated towards it, entering the beam of goldenness. On the other side of the light, green meadows were everywhere and other souls were frolicking gaily in the bright grass. The soul appeared before a woman with long, straight, jet-black hair and eyes like moss. _

_It was Nyx._

"_You've wandered too long, soul," Nyx spoke. _

"_I cannot find my host," the soul said. _

"_I will be giving you a new host."_

"_What happened to the other one? Why did she leave me?" The soul's voice rang with sadness. _

"_She did not leave you intentionally; she barely knew this part of her existed. She did not need you," Nyx said softly._

"_Am I of no importance?" the soul asked_

"_You are very important, but Zoey's body did not need you, therefore you were left behind. But know that you will return back to the Earth, in a new body, a child that will determine the fate of vampyres and humans alike."_

"_I thought my host was to determine that fact, the one you call Zoey," the soul asked, confused._

"_Zoey no longer has you, so where as she would determines everyone's fate, it now falls on you with your new host. Zoey has done her part of this; it is time a new leader was born. A leader with no markings of blue or red."_

"_Will my new host have certain abilities or affinities as you call them?"_

"_Yes, she will have Earth and Spirit with her."_

"_If she is to determine man's fate, why not all five elements?"_

"_Because she will have a greater power than all the elements combined, and Earth and Spirit will guide her there," Nyx said. _

"_I will accept my new host then."_

"_Good. This child will be faced with dark dangers and her being just a normal fledgling will not help her. For the first and last time, this child will be me, the incarnation of my long gone soul." Nyx reached for the soul's forehead and a crescent moon blazed under her touch. Nyx glow faded only the slightest as she let a part of her soul leak also into the lost soul. The soul's features stopped changing, settling on distinct features that no could miss. _

_The soul looked like me. _

"_Soul, your host is about to enter the Earth-plane. Be there now before your opportunity is gone." In a flash the soul was gone, leaving a trail of blazing white, green, and purple, like a marble. The soul raced against time and speed, stopping when she approached a white, sterile room. _

_A mother stood holding her too still daughter. The baby did not cry nor breathe. The mother held the baby in her arms, crying. The soul found the opportune moment and jumped into the baby, the soul spilling into the tiny body. With a spasm, the baby thrashed about, crying like hell itself was loose. The mother, surprised as the sudden screaming, jumped and cried again, only this time they were tears of joy. _

The vision ended as I snatched my hand back. I held my head with my hands, my palms covering my face. I couldn't breathe, couldn't see, couldn't feel _anything. _My heart raced and Kalona tried to approach me, tried to wrap his large wings around me in an embrace but I pushed him away, _hard. _

"Leave me alone!" I screamed at him. I slapped his chest and he seemed surprise that I touched him. Coldness sliced through my fingers where I touched him.

"I'm only a teenager and I supposed to determine man's fate? Vampyres and human alike?" I screamed. He looked surprised.

"You forget to include a certain immortal," he said quietly.

"I'm supposed to save you, too? You were… are an angel! Save yourself!" I yelled at him. My breathing pattern quickened and I felt claustrophobic.

"Someone is holding me captive, not allowing me to leave at all. She's supposed to be dead, as I, but she managed to stay alive, with me at her side. I cannot escape from her, you, Aurora, must help me, save me," he said. I shook my head wildly, the ribbons falling out of my hair.

"NO! No, no, no! I can't! I can't be someone so important, I can't be a goddess. I can't save everyone. I won't even be able to help myself. How can one person make such a difference in a world as large as this?" I asked, crying, collapsing on the roof. Kalona knelt before me and his coldness radiated from him.

"You must find the answer to that. But know, my goddess, that the fate of the world lies in the palms of your hands." He reached for my arm and grasped it intimately. I searched his eyes and they were filled with hunger as he leaned toward me and kissed my forehead where my crescent is. He took both of my hands and pressed his own hands against them.

"Wing are not the only thing that can lift you higher."

I started to fall into darkness.

* * *

I screamed awake as another scream met mine as another scream flittered across the room.

"OH MY GODDESS!"

I jolted awake to see Sarah flitter around the room, from mirror to mirror. She was moving to fast to let me capture what she was "Oh my goddess" –ing about.

"Sarah?" I asked, my voice heavily laced with worry. Sarah turned abruptly towards me and screamed again.

"YOU HAVE IT TOO!" she yelled. She raced toward Erica and yanked the sheets back, revealing a sleepy-eyed Erica. Sarah let out another scream.

"ERICA ALSO HAS IT!"

Erica jolted awake all of a sudden, looking all around and screamed at Sarah.

"Oh my goddess, it's _purple!" _Erica said. Sarah raced back and forth across the room.

"I KNOW! AND YOUR'S IS PURPLE TOO!" Sarah yelled.

"What?" I asked. Sarah sprinted towards me and grabbed my arm, towing me to a desk with a mirror above it. I was startled, completely startled, staring at my reflection.

My crescent was outlined in _green. _

And Sarah's was outlined in _purple. _

Erica's stepped behind us and stared at her own forehead.

Her crescent was also purple.

I reached up to touch the crescent but Sarah grasped it.

"Oh my goddess! Look at your palms!" Sarah yelled. I turned my hands staring at them.

Green wings were tattooed on the palm of my both my hands, wings that looked like they were angel's wings, immortal wings, _Kalona's wings. _"_Wings are not the only thing that can lift you higher,_" I repeated. Sarah threw confused looks at me.

"Do you know something about this?" Sarah asked. I ran from the mirror, trying to burn away my green Mark.

I approached the drawing Breonah drew. Kali pawed the drawing and meowed at it. I took Kali in my hands and placed her on the floor while I ripped the drawing from the wall.

I showed them the drawing and pointed at the immortal.

"He was in my dream last night, he told me that I wasn't in a dream, he called me to him, he said he called my soul, a soul that's connected to three people," I said. Sarah's eyes went wide open. She went to Erica and went back to me.

"Something weird is going on, and I think we need to tell Zoey. Erica go get your mentor and mine, get Sofia and Breonah and their mentors too. Aurora, go to Zoey, _now," _Sarah said, getting really freak out. Erica went to me before she left the dorm.

"Be really careful of what you say, especially when your near Stark," she said before I had a chance to ask who Stark was.

I walked to my door with Kali at my heels, stepping into the hallway in nothing but pajamas.

Rapidly walking down the steps, I reached the bottom floor quickly. Sprinting to the door and flinging it open and closing it as Kali meowed at me for almost getting her tail caught in the door. I picked her up and carried her in my arms.

Sprinting down the hallways into what seemed to be a large office for teachers. I stood in front of a mahogany door and knocked before I pushed it open. What was revealed to me was a woman sitting on a guy's lap with her arms wrapped around his neck and seemed to be seriously stressed in a chair behind a desk.

"Zoey Redbird?" I asked, confused, and a bit too loudly.

In an instant, Zoey shot up from the guy's lap and stood up while the guy who was cuddling with her also stop up and pointed a weapon at me, a bow to be exact. I yelp as the arrow was trained at me, locked between the guy's finger and the string that was bendy. The guy's eyes flashed red and I looked up at his tattoos. Like Stevie Rae's, this guys tats were red and an red arrow sliced through the crescent on his forehead as red tiger-like stripes slashed through on his cheeks. His hair was dark blonde and his eyes flashed red so many times that I couldn't tell what his real eye color was.

Zoey placed her hand on the guy's shoulder quickly and turned his head.

"Stark, love, it's one of my students, I'm her mentor. It's okay."

Stark lowered his bow and arrow and smiled shyly at me while I gave him a crazed look. I stepped closer to the desk.

"Zoey, I need to talk to you. It's important." I urged her to hear the panic in my voice, and the urgency. Stark's hand gripped his bow.

"Aurora, what is it?" Zoey asked.

"Zoey! Look at her forehead!" Stark yelled, staring at my forehead as if I was an alien. Automatically, my hand ran for my head, covering my Mark. But it was too late, Zoey already saw it.

"Oh my Goddess!" Zoey exclaimed, her hand to her mouth. They stared at me.

"Is this some kind of joke? Are you making fun of us Reds?" Stark growled. I shook my head quickly, putting the most sincere look on my face.

"I wouldn't lie about this! I swear! I know who did this to me! Kalona did this to me! Look at my hands!" I stepped forward and shoved my hands out in front of me. They never looked at my hands. Stark stepped forward and his arrow were back on his bow, trained on me.

"How do you know him?" he yelled at me. I backed up to the wall.

"I don't know him! He—he—said he called me to him, my essence. He told me…"I faltered and my bottom lip began to quiver. Tears began to roll down my cheeks.

"He told me I was you." I spoke directly to Zoey. Zoey's eyes widened and she shook her head.

"That's impossible, there is no way you are me."

"He also said I was A-ya…" I said softly. Zoey's hand twitched at the name.

"No…" she said softly.

"And he called me Nyx Incarnate…after I told him what Nyx told me…"

Zoey stiffened, as did Stark. Zoey walked up to Stark and laid her hand on did shoulder.

"Stark, lower your weapon. It's ok," Zoey said, "Aurora, take a seat."

I only moved after Stark went to stand behind Zoey as Zoey took her seat. I went up to her and sat down.

"What did Nyx tell you?" Stark asked.

"She told me she needed a version of herself here on the Earth-Plane. She said I was her reincarnation."

"And Kalona?" he asked, his eyes bright red.

"He told me many things." I bit my lip, trying to hold on the dream. I told a deep breath and felt something rustle in my pocket of my night shirt. I pulled something out, a paper folded. Funny, I don't remember putting anything in my pocket.

"What's that?" Zoey asked.

I handed the piece of paper with the drawing to Zoey, who stared at it blankly. The hand that wasn't clenching the paper was balled into a tight fist, turning into a faint white.

"This is—"

In that instant, the room filled with so many people. Sarah with her mentor Erin, Erica with her mentor Shaunee, Sofia with her mentor Damien, and Breonah with a… human adult? The room suddenly felt small, even though there was still a lot of space.

"Ok, everyone's here. Aphrodite, have you had any recent visions you haven't been telling us?" Zoey asked. The human bit her lip, afraid to deny it and afraid to say it was true. She looked down at Breonah, as if wanting Breonah to tell Zoey if she was or wasn't experiencing visions. Breonah took a breath.

"I know she has. She told me she saw one of a girl with markings of green," Breonah said, slowly, testing her words. Zoey stepped toward Aphrodite.

"What happened?"

Aphrodite stared.

"_She's_ not dead."

The room bloomed up in a panic. The only thing that stopped the vampyres from talking was the door opening up, again. From the door a man entered. His skin was like coffee with much decaf, his eyes slanted as dark beautiful eyes created magnificence to his face. He was lean and muscular. There was something about him…

The Cherokee Man, as I named him, raced to Stevie Rae, taking her hand. _That must be Stevie Rae's boyfriend or something._

"Listen, Aurora, talk to me later on today, I need to talk with my Circle," Zoey said slowly. Circle? What that supposed to be something like the ritual? People that are _inside_? I knew one thing though, she wanted my friends and I out.

"Ok," I said softly. My eyes connected with my friends, all of us getting ready to leave. Sarah and Erica were the first to walk out, leaving Sofia and Breonah to have a quick four sentenced conversation with their mentors. The cousins and I walked out together, meeting Erica and Sarah at the door. We all looked at each other as Stark came through the door too, he approached me.

"Listen…Aurora. Be careful around Kalona…if you aren't lying," he said slowly. I felt rage bubble up.

"I'm not. I'm telling the truth," I said. He gave me a sad face.

"That's why I'm worried."

He left.

"Did you tell Zoey?" Sarah asked.

"About what?" Breonah questioned.

"She imprinted last night and she met that winged immortal you drew in her dream too," Erica replied. Sofia stared at our foreheads.

"Um, no intentions to be rude, but, um, their green and purple."

Of course she was talking about our crescents, but she was awed by them. They weren't filled in or anything, just outlined in a different color. Would it turn back to blue if I made it to being an adult vampyre? I could only hope. Breonah broke the silence.

"Sarah…Erica…after the weird drawing with the that angel or immortal or whatever, these happened later that night, when I was calmed down."

She passed little miniatures sketches to them. They both had a sapphire crescent, their faces handsome and drawn perfectly. The girls gasped and squealed.

"Is this a prophetic drawing or is this just a sketch," they asked

"Prophetic, her eyes glazed over when she drew them," Sofia said.

They squealed again.

"Wait…let me see those…" I said.

They handed me the small square papers.

"That's Sammy! And Jacob!" I cried out.

"Who?" they said, drunkenly a bit, even though they weren't drunk, just awed.

"They were on my school's football team! Breonah! Are they already Marked? Or going to be?" She shrugged. I pulled out my phone, quickly, checking my messages.

Ally texted me like crazy. There were five unread messages.

_OMG! Two football players were Marked!_

Another…

_I just found out that it was Sammy and Jacob!_

And another…

_Rora, text me when they get there!_

Another…

_Are they there yet?_

And one from_…_

_Hey, Aurora, it's Logan. I found out that Sammy and Jacob got Marked. Can u say hi to them for me? PS: are you ok? I have this feeling that ur… idk, stressed…_

I couldn't help smiling. Logan had texted me and asked how I was feeling, and he was on target. I was stressed. Stressed about whatever relationship Logan and I were in, and about Kalona.

"Do you know _know _them?" they asked.

"Only be reputation," I answered.

"Which means…" Sarah asked worriedly.

"They're both thumbs up." I smiled.

Sarah and Erica giggled in glee. Sofia stepped to me as Erica and Sarah fawned over the miniature sketched.

"What's this about the Imprint?" she asked. I blushed.

"I drank a guy's blood…we like each other," I said idiotically. She gave me a half smile.

"What's it like?"

"To tell you the truth, it's wonderful. It feels really good and its like you have a physic connection to your Imprint."

"Wow."  
"Yeah."

Breonah took back her sketches, well more like _snatched_ them back.

"Stop drooling over them! You're going to see them in the flesh sooner or later," she exclaimed.

"I like the 'sooner' part of that sentence," Erica commented. We laughed.

"Same here, come on, let's head back to our dorms and get changed," Sarah added.

Everyone ran to the dorms but I stayed behind. I leaned my head against the door to get at least a snippet of the conversation Zoey's _circle _was having.

"_Zoey, I'm worried… _She's_ holding Kalona underground so he can't escape. I _saw _it,_" the human said, I think.

"_And why is Kalona speaking to the girl_?" Stark asked.

"_She said something about her being me, remember?"_ Zoey said.

"_What?"_ Stevie Rae voice twanged

"_He also called her Nyx Incarnate and A-ya,"_ Stark added softly.

"_You mean he's giving her the same title Neferet called herself?"_ Damien asked.

"_Yes…"_ Zoey said slowly.

"_What's up with this girl thought_?" Shaunee asked.

"_Does she have all five elements or something? It she like extremely special?_" Erin asked

"_No, she only had Earth and Spirit…_" Zoey said

"_Yeah, but remember Zoey? At the Ritual? We felt like there was more to it? Like more than just elements_?" Stevie Rae said

"_I don't know… the least we can do now is see what happens next…" Zoey said._

"_And to be prepared for it…" _Stark added.

"_Right…"_ Zoey whispered.

I ran to my dorm as fast as I could.

* * *

A/N: HIIIIII! I FINALLY UPDATED AFTER MANY ORDERS FROM TWIHARD 690 AND FANTASYE.D! Lol, I love you guys! :) Please review! I love you guys too!


	7. First Water, and then Darkness

House of Night Aftermath

Disclaimer: I don't own the book series but I do own any new characters introduced into this story and the plot and ideas.

Shoutout to: Fabrizio690, Stephanie1014, and Fantasy E.d

Thanks for reviewing and loving my stories and repeatedly telling me to update.

Reason for not proofreading: I just really wanted to update and when I misspell, you guys know what I mean, it's not rocket science. Plus, I've been harassed enough about updating.

And also I will be changing the previous guy names in the previous chapter. Sammy is now Justin, Jacob…is still Jacob. I have to make sure to edit the previous chappie

ENJOY!

Mwah!

* * *

**First Water, and then Darkness**

Sarah's POV:

The melody and music coming from my viola warmed me. I had missed it. My breath shuddered and calmed. Today was unusual. I felt sorry for poor Aurora. Her day was tough. Everybody was staring at her like she was freak. It was that moment where I think Aurora preferred to be seen as invisible then to be seen as a freak. They didn't stare at me and Erica as much, probably because I had someone like me, someone to lean on. Erica was my best friend after all.

Maybe that was what was wrong with Aurora, she felt lonely. Her best friend Allison wasn't here to be with her.

And Aurora's been going through so much, and she hasn't even been here for a full week yet!

I powered through another repeat sign in my music. Music helped, it calmed me.

Apparently, it calmed Aurora and Erica as well. They said they liked it when I played, and I noticed that when I did, Aurora slept better.

Maybe I had an affinity dealing with music…who knows?

The morning rays of light peeked through our curtains as I flinched and sighed.

Never again would I be able to frolic out in the sun. It saddened me as my music did so, too.

Suddenly, I heard a little ring coming from Aurora's bed.

She was asleep after this stressful day. Poor Aurora, this morning she had come back in our dorm crying. Apparently, she heard something from Zoey's circle. She wouldn't tell us what.

Frustrated, I put down my viola and loosened the bow to place it in its case.

I wasn't really frustrated about Aurora's reason why she couldn't tell us, I was just frustrated because no one has bothered to contact me in a month. Here Aurora was, sleeping through the musical twinkles of her phone which contained a text from someone. I checked out her phone. It was from her imprint.

_Aurora, it's me, Logan. How was your day?_

That was sweet.

Another ring from her phone pitched in our silent dorm.

_Call me crazy, but I feel weird about you. Are you ok? You haven't been replying to any of my texts. Have I don't something wrong?_

Poor guy, he was concerned. Maybe I should wake Aurora up? Would it be a good idea? I decided not to, she's been through enough today, but the last thing she needs is a worried Imprint crazy enough to come all the way here to make sure she was ok.

Her cell phone strucked a different ring, playing an old love song.

Her Imprint was calling her now.

How concerned was he?

Scared and worried, I picked up her phone and pressed _talk. _

"Hello?"

"You're not Aurora," he said, confused.

"No, I'm one of her friends."

"What happened to her?" he asked, worried.

"Nothing, she's asleep. She had a very stressful day today. Don't blame her. She's very upset, and if you do anything crazy you'll make her life even more stressful right now," I urged.

"Oh, is she ok?"

"No," I answered honestly.

"What happened?"

How was I going to explain such things to a mortal?

"Some dude was messing with her," I answered innocently. I bit my lip as if that could make him stop asking questions.

"Like a bully?"

"No, he likes her, I think. But he said a few…hurtful and truthful things to her, he explained to her what she didn't know, what nobody knew."

"What happened?"

"She panicked and freaked out and went to talk to her mentor."

"And then?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know?"

"Yes."

"So she is alright but then she isn't?"

"Yes and…"

"And…?"

"Her appearance has changed…" I told him.

"Like how? She got contacts? Dyed her hair another color?"

"Her Mark is another color…"

"Excuse me?"

"Her crescent, its green."

"How?"

"I don't know, but I think Aurora might know."

Aurora stirred in her sleep.

"I have to go, she's about to wake up!" I whispered as I pressed the end button. I held my breath and waited. Aurora didn't wake up. I turned to the opposite side.

There was Erica, also sleeping peacefully.

Not wanting to wake anybody up, I fled our dorm.

* * *

I sneaked into the library, the one place I felt secure.

I pulled a few books off the shelf and began to read.

For some reason, I couldn't sleep tonight. I felt like an insomniac. A vampyric insomniac.

Flipping through pages of a terrible vampyre novel, I yawned.

Suddenly, a hand gripped my shoulder. I yelled in fear and the hand moved up to my mouth. Whoever held me spun me around to face them.

It was that new guy!

I sighed in relief behind the guy's hand.

"Hey," he began.

"Hi," I whispered behind his hand.

"Didn't mean to scare you."

"How could you? It's just the middle of the day and we're the only ones awake alone in a library," I said sarcastically. He laughed as I smiled.

"You're Sarah, right?"

"Yes, you're Justin, right?"

"Yep."

"Nice to meet you."

"Same."

We shared a long look as I drunk him in. His red hair was beautiful and his brown eyes were endless. He looked like your average, sexy vampyre.

"How was your day?" he blurted.

"It could have been better, yours?"

"It just got better."

I blushed. My pale skin redden madly as I looked away to hide it.

"So… how long have you known Aurora?" I asked.

"Long time, but it's not like we were close friends, more like associates. Everybody knew her, but she thought no one did."

"Sounds lonely."

"She had Ally," he laughed. I nodded, what was so funny? He read my confused expression.

"Oh, you see, Ally's her best friend. She's absolutely crazy and eccentric. It's like you matched the world's most confusing puzzle, those too. They're like complete opposites…well not completely, exactly."

"Huh,"I breathed.

"What are you doing in the library?" he asked. I was about to answer when my mouth closed only to open back with the same question.

"What are _you _doing here in the library?"

"Touché," he laughed. I answered his question with, "Just needed some time to relax."

"Same," he replied.

There was silence, but it was comforting, not awkward.

"Can I walk you back to your dorm?" he blurted. Stunned by the question, I only nodded slowly. He caught the movements, smiled and took my hand to lead me out the library.

My senses were overwhelmed.

My ears pounded with the distant sound of crashing water and my breath stopped.

His touch was fluid, soft, silky, _sensual. _

A roll of shivers caressed my spine as my breath snapped back into my lungs. My eyes grew large as I noticed that Justin's eyes were also large, peeking out of his red hair.

"Whoa," we breathed.

"What was that?" I huffed. Then it hit me.

It was my affinity for water, my power for it.

It felt stronger, powerful, _and braver _in a way.

Had this happened to Aurora when she imprinted on Logan? Wait, did I imprint on Justin? No, of course not, it only happens when you bite someone.

My mind puzzled over the thoughts of what would happen if I kissed Justin…

_Stop it! Stop it! _I screamed at my thoughts.

And then Justin led me out of the library.

* * *

I told him we weren't supposed to be out this earlier in the day and to be careful getting back at his dorms. He laughed at my warning. Our hands were still intertwined and the echoes of waterfalls vibrated in my skull. He stopped at the doors of the girls dorm and his touch lingered on my hands before he department. Stunned by the last few events, I let out a sigh as shivers rolled down my spine again.

I dragged my feet to our room, opening the door and finding my two roommates where they were before I left them.

Erica looked fine, even breaths, peaceful.

Aurora looked worse, sweat lining her eyebrows. She looked as if she was crying in her sleep. Her pillow was trapped in her clutched and she grounded her teeth as she looked like she was having trouble breathing. I ran to her.

"Aurora, wake up," I started, shaking her small frame. She looked fragile, unlike how she appeared a few days ago.

"Wake up!" I shouted as I placed my hand on her forehead. I pushed soothing sounds and images of waterfalls into her thoughts, her dreams. She relaxed slowly, her breath more even. Her deathly grip on her pillow faltered. Her kitten wriggled herself into Aurora's hair, crying out little kitten mews to also help Aurora relax, to calm down.

Even though she looked better than she was a few seconds ago, water was still streaming from her eyes.

"No…" she murmured.

Suddenly her whole body jerked and her crescent moon glowed mint green.

"Aurora!" I gasped. A searing sensation punched my forehead as my palms flew to it.

"Ow!" I cried out.

I noticed Erica also jerk, awakening.

"What is going on?" she cried out as she clutched her head.

Aurora, still tossing in her sleep, screamed a glass-shattering scream and mine and Erica's eyes met just before we were thrown into a dark void of nothing right as mine and Erica's Mark shone a vibrant purple.

* * *

A/N: REAALLLLLY sorry about the late update! Please forgive me! I wanted to mix the story up a bit so I placed it in Sarah's view. I probably won't be doing that again anytime soon. Maybe 11th or 12th chappie, who knows? Please review, you get a shout-out. I didn't really bother to edit it, my bad. FORGIVE ME! Lurve you all! Mwah! ~NiNi


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